A small-scale bike-sharing program is being launched on Capitol Hill for use by employees at the House of Representatives.
"Blumenauer is launching a modest pilot program for bike sharing on Capitol Hill. Today, as part of the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C., Blumenauer will announce Wheels4Wellness, a program to provide up to 30 bicycles around the Capitol Hill complex for U.S. House employees to check out."
"'You have such a huge concentration of people,' Blumenauer said, 'and so much of the errand running doesn't need to fire up an engine.'"
"Blumenauer hammered out the details of the system with Dan Beard, the chief administrative officer of the U.S. House. The House will select a vendor to provide bikes on self-service racks throughout the House campus. Employees who register for the program can check out the bikes for short trips."
"Bike-sharing programs take advantage of new technology -- using smart cards or cell phone codes for riders to check out bikes from bike shelters. They're funded by advertising, user fees or government subsidies."
Read the full story: Bike sharing spins ahead with D.C. test drive
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Bike sharing and rental systems are becoming more inclusive, considering the needs of those with disabilities and children. And systems are expanding based different uses people have for different types of bicycles.
D.C. Bikeshare Considers Expansion
The bike sharing system that's been operating in Washington D.C. has seen success in its early months, and an expansion is planned.
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In a review of the new bike sharing program in London, The Economist raises the question of whether the city wrongly predicted the existing demand for the service.
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