BIXI bike sharing program off to a good start
Posted May 20, 2011 01:44:42 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Capital BIXI is just two days old and already more than 30 full-year memberships have been sold according to NAC spokesperson Jasmine Leduc.
The bike share system allows users to buy passes that last 24 and 72 hours, a monthly or yearly pass.
You need a credit card for the shorter passes and the bikes are meant for shorter trips.
After a half-hour the rates increase.
But it seems most people would use them for short trips anyways.
Whether they’re tourists taking in the sights or locals going about their day, people told 1310News they like the idea of the BIXI program.
“My family actually does a lot of bicycling but we live in Stittsville so to come down here to bike in the city is more of a challenge,” said Steven.
“So yeah, I think it’s a great idea.”
Renaud, who lives in Orleans agrees but said the one thing the bikes are missing is a helmet to go with each one.
And Geroen and Linda who are visiting from Holland said they’ve used the bikes in Montreal and Toronto and were excited to try them in the capital.
They were planning a trip down the canal and said Ottawa is a bike-friendly city.
But Bianca, who lives downtown, said she thinks Ottawa has a ways to go when it comes to safe biking.
“It’s not a bike-friendly city right now,” she said.
“I think we could use some more bike lanes. It’s a little scary, this is still a car town.”
With the Victoria Day Long Weekend ahead of us there are likely to be red bikes taking over the downtown core.
