The Guardian has a story about the rapid succes of Vélo’v which is reportedly the largest bike share organization in the world.
Vélo’v uses computerized racks with prepaid cards to distribute its 1500 bikes around Lyon. It operates more like Toronto’s Autoshare than Bikeshare with a sprinkle of Eucan’s funding model. It seems Vélo’v is run by a billboard multinational, which agreed to launch and operate the bike scheme in part-exchange for the right to sell advertising space on the city’s bus and tram shelters.
I like the rational given for its success:
“Our success reflects a cultural shift that you could call collective individualism,” Mr Vesco told the daily Libération. “Everyone chooses their own destination, route and timetable, but they use a collective means of transport.”
But I think the success might be better attributed to the technology. Bikeshare, in comparison, has had a hard time keeping track of its fleet. (pdf) Unfortunately for Lyon that technology comes at a price – adverti$ing.
At least Lyon is getting a new service unlike Toronto which is selling its streets for a service the city is already obligated to provide.
