With debts in excess of $30 million owed to the city of Montreal, and unhappy customers in New York City and Chicago refusing to pay for outstanding bills, the Bixi bike-share company has been forced to file for bankruptcy protection.
The pioneering publicly-backed bike-share company Bixi has been forced to seek bankruptcy protection amid "legal disputes, software glitches, upgrade delays," and withheld payments, reports Andy Riga. The company's international expansion, which was intended to finance bike-share operations in Montreal, and the failure to sell its international operations are being blamed for the company's collapse.
Bixi owes the city of Montreal $38 million and suppliers about $9 million. "The city said it sent Bixi a letter on Jan. 15 demanding the money it is owed," notes Riga. "Unable to pay, Bixi filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday (Jan. 20)."
According to Montreal's mayor, the company still plans to operate its bike-share system in the city this year. There's no word on how the bankruptcy filing may affect systems aligned with Bixi in other cities.
UPDATE (1/22/14): In an article in The Atlantic Cities, Sarah Goodyear relays this statement on the status of several Bixi-aligned systems: "Mia Birk, vice president of Alta Bicycle Share, which operates eight Bixi-provided bike-share systems in the United States and Melbourne, Australia, said in an email shortly after the bankruptcy announcement that operations of those systems would be unaffected."
"Our systems across the country — in Washington, D.C., Boston, New York City, Chicago, the Bay Area, Columbus, OH, and Chattanooga, TN — are up and running and ABS will ensure that they continue to operate without interruption,” Birk wrote. “Given our plans to expand current systems and launch new systems this year, we're in constant communication with both PBSC as well as its suppliers to ensure we can do so successfully.”
FULL STORY: Bixi files for bankruptcy protection

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie