Eileen:
 
May not be terribly on point for Sisters, but Paris does this. There are bicycles staged throughout the City and free for 30 minutes, but charged after that. Here's an article from earlier in the summer that may help you find out more. Probably in preparation for Montreal you should conduct a field visit to study this as well as improve your French. I'll carry your suitcases if you'd like.
Len
 
www.csmonitor.com/2007/0706/p01s06-woeu.html


From: Eileen Stein [mailto:estein@ci.sisters.or.us]
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 1:54 PM
To: Oregon City/County Management Association
Subject: [occma] Bicycles for Public Use


Wow!  I’ve been away from the list serve for awhile….was in DC last week talking wildfire issues.  My, how exciting the discussion has been.  

 

I have a more mundane request…really boring by comparison.  Does any one out there have experience with creating a pool of rental (or free) bicycles for people to use to get around town?  I was in Portland recently and they have their Zip Car program.  This is kind of like that, only for bicycles.  How was the fleet paid for?  How was the pool maintained?  What experience did you have with theft?  What insurance (i.e. liability) issues came up?   Thanks.

 

Eileen Stein

City Manager

City of Sisters

P.O. Box 39

Sisters, OR 97759

(541) 549-6022, Ext. 205

(541) 323-5205 - Direct

(541) 549-0561 - Fax

estein@ci.sisters.or.us