Only a month away from Mayor Ed Lee’s ‘innovation month’ , and only 3 years after the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia,the city of San Francisco has managed to implement a bike-sharing infrastructure.  The significance of the timing, and the eve of ‘innovation month’ highlight the historically apathetic approach toward collectively shared transportation systems in the United States. It is especially relevant for San Francisco, which, despite its stature in the minds eye of those outside of the city, is highly compact physically, encompassing only about 11 kilometers by 11 kilometers.

Connecting the region

The system known as Bay Area Bike Share  (BABS) actually services an area much larger than the frontiers of San Francisco; ranging to neighboring counties and cities:  Redwood City (41 kilometers South of SF), Palo Alto (53 kilometers south), Mountain View (64 kilometers south), and San Jose (80 kilometers south). This first aspect of the service is highly practical and makes it extremely appealing for commuters.  What’s more, this element of BABS very much alludes to the interconnectedness of the San Francisco Bay Area in its entirety, and thus allows users to move freely up and down the peninsular region.  Allowing the possibility to travel from San Francisco to San Jose is a very attractive feature of the system and  a rather unique one at that, that is, unless someone is interested in actually biking that route.  The lack of consistent bike stations means that the 40 km gap between San francisco and Redwood City and the 20 km gap between Mountain View and San Jose will require the cyclist to pay the 4 dollar over-time fee for the first 30 minutes followed by 14 dollars per hour until she or he can change bike at the next station.

Another key is that the system allows for a daily rental period, which doesn't require a long-term membership or a loaded application process that is not feasible for short period visitors. Most of my run ins with users have consisted of wide eyed tourists cruising the streets, an important piece of the bike sharing puzzle sometimes lost on many sharing systems.  Though the number of docs is limited, and limited in area covered at this point, the infrastructure is expected to expand in the coming years, thus offering access beyond what is now the financial district, the main thoroughfare, Market street, and a few other commercially relevant areas.  Until then, tourists and other city goers will be limited to a small piece of the destination offering that is San Francisco.    

The price of change

With that being understood, there are a few things that stand out to a resident of San Francisco about the new bike share program that are slightly sour.  Like many amenities in San Francisco, the bike-sharing infrastructure feels highly un-approachable and aloof. The first thing that stands out to me is the price. In a city where rent is exorbitant, and the cost of daily living can be excessive at times, the price for  the annual membership fee, $88 (65 eur) (Plus overtime fees), is sadly aligned with the same price trend, and is too high to attract and encourage the use of bike sharing among many Bay Area locals.  This price point feels like it is too expensive to offer a convenient alternative for the individuals who might actually need the system the most.  Bike sharing systems in Europe, on the other hand, are often attractive even for people that have their own bicycle, simply because they are available, affordable and convenient.  Consequently, it seems to be aiming to positioning the service as a high end service rather than a one that really inspires people to change their patterns of mobility, and ultimately foster social and economic returns.

Evidently, this illustrates  that the US and European way of thinking about mobility for the future still is divided by more than just the Atlantic ocean.  In spite of this, the Bay Area Bike Share is a metaphorical leap down the right path, especially for a city that prides itself on all things ‘green,’ ‘sustainable,’ and ‘eco-friendly’, and is a statement by the city that biking and alternative forms of transportation are serious issues that need to be given proper deliberation.  It is an issue of quality of life, it is an issue of community, and it is an issue of what makes ideal living spaces.

Ultimately, the utility, and the silver lining, for the city is derived, not necessarily from the use of bulky bicycles (In a city, mind you, that is (in)famous (depending on your disposition) for its hills), but in the form of fewer cars and reduced congestion, less pollution and CO2 emissions and the movement toward an improved urban experience and improved public health, as clearly outlined in the report for Economics of Cycling. The city often talks of ‘living innovation zones’ and ‘urban prototyping,’  all in the hopes of maximizing city space, and certainly having fewer cars around and providing less of an excuse for people to drive is a big statement in support of such processes.

Tourism vs. Mobility tool

The use of the bicycle in the U.S. is often times positioned and used as a tool for tourism far more than a way to get around, and up to this point, BABS has certainly made its presence felt among tourists.  Moreover, the $9 US daily fee offers a cheap alternative to daily bike rentals (which start around $30/day), despite the fact that the bike stations are scattered around a very limited area.  This limited area along with the inclusion of cities located along the commuter train line, also emphasizes the targeted market. Clearly, BABS has had an immediate impact on Monday through Friday where bikes located outside the 4th and King train station are ridden up to the bike-stations all along Market street, and into the financial district, and downtown.

San Franciscans are generally all for proactive public policy, and urban regeneration, thus the idea of an alternative form of public transportation has been widely welcomed. The fact that it has come in the form of a bicycle is even more exciting for a city that already boasts a considerable amount of bike friendly infrastructure, and a hefty bike happy populous.  Even if the price does turn people off, the greater focus on cycling will hopefully be an influential push in getting even more people on bikes (Whether shared or not), and this may in time be an important stepping stone on the path towards a more sustainable California.

 About the Author

Nathan Ardaiz is no stranger to riding his bike up and down the hills of  San Francisco, and is passionate about destinations maximizing their offerings, their policy toward sustainability (He also believes that sustainability is not simply a passe, buzz-word), as well as their general livability.

He has a MSc  from the European Master in Tourism Management (EMTM) with a focus on innovation travel and tourism,  innovation in travel and tourism, and destination management.

Edited by

Anette Christiansen is working as Communications Assistant for the European Cyclists’ Federation, and rides around Brussels on her old second-hand classic dutch bike.

She holds a Masters-degree in European Tourism Management (EMTM) and is specialized in Cycling Tourism.