10/12/16 City of Tempe Press Release
Next spring, Tempe will join the cities of Phoenix and Mesa by offering public bicycles that can be “checked out” via the Grid Bike Share program. The program will offer another alternative to residents and visitors for getting around the city. With Tempe joining, Grid will have a total of 1,100 bikes at over 100 hub stations throughout the region.
On Sept. 8, the Tempe City Council approved a five-year contract with CycleHop, a leading bike share operator, to manage its bike share system. Tempe’s 31 stations will be located in high activity areas like downtown Tempe, along the light rail line, near the ASU campus and at community centers. Tempe secured a $1.1 million federal grant for the purchase of the 300 bikes and 425 racks. Tempe is also a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community as designated by the League of American Bicyclists.
The Grid Bike Share program was launched by CycleHop in Phoenix in 2014 and has been expanding regionally beginning with Mesa in early 2016. They provide “smart bikes” manufactured by Social Bicycles which are equipped with state-of-the-art features such as responsive solar lighting, chainless shaft drive, a GPS-enabled, solar-powered panel to interact with the bike and an integrated lock that also works with regular bike racks. Bikes can be located and reserved via the Social Bicycles mobile app or online at www.gridbikes.com. Members can also unlock a bike directly at the hub using an account number and four-digit PIN code. To end a trip, the bike can be returned to any bike hub location in the valley or, for a small fee, can be locked at any regular bike rack.
CycleHop will be seeking a title sponsor for the regional program that will play a highly visible role in creating and promoting vibrant multi-modal communities. For more information about sponsorship, please contact sponsorship@gridbikes.com.
CycleHop also operates bike-share programs in cities across the United States and Canada including Phoenix/Mesa, Tampa/St. Pete, Orlando, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Long Beach, West Hollywood, Cleveland, Atlanta, Vancouver and Ottawa.
The City of Tempe plans to launch the Grid Bike Share program in the spring of 2017. For more information, contact Sue Taaffe with the City of Tempe or visit www.tempe.gov/bikeshare or www.gridbikes.com.