Presentation on Bike Share Feasibility Study by Atlanta Bicycle Coalition

Atlanta-Decatur Bike Share Feasibility Study December 12, 2012

Overview of Discussion Work to Date A little back story on the bike share initiative

Bike Share Basics What it is and how it works

Technical Findings Review of community and financial analysis

Next Steps Where to go from here

Who has been involved? • This study has been led by Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. • Financial support has been provided by the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and the City of Decatur. • Technical analysis and document development was managed by Robert and Company with support from MetroBike. MetroBike • The City of Atlanta, City of Decatur and the Atlanta Regional Commission formed the technical review committee.

Bike Share Basics

What is bike share?

1: short-term bicycle rental available at a network of unattended locations; 2: bicycle transit

What is bike share? work

shop

visit

live

relax and play

connect

socialize life

Beyond a service, bike share is… …innovative technology.

…a positive city image

…affordable …a source of green jobs. …a connector.

System Components Bikes + Stations Network of Stations Back-End System Customers

Bikes Features –

Up-right, universal fit

–

Basket

–

Fenders for all-weather riding

–

Lights for night riding

–

Integrated technology for tracking and docking

–

Integrated lock to secure bike while in use but away from a docking station

Stations Features –

Kiosk for accessing system and payment

–

Signage

–

Docks or racks to hold bike while not in use

Station Placement 3 Main Placement Strategies On-Street Station

Sidewalk Station

Public Space Station

System Network Geographic Distribution of Stations

Back-End Technology

Bike Share Around the US

Peer System Comparison DecoBike Miami Beach

Capital BikeShare

NiceRide Minnesota

viaCycle @ Georgia Tech

Atlanta and Decatur

Miami Beach, FL Surfside, FL

Washington, DC Arlington, VA Alexandria, VA

Minneapolis, MN St. Paul, MN Falcon Heights, MN

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Atlanta, GA Decatur, GA

11,134 people/sq ml

8,574 people/sq ml

5,805 people/sq ml

45,430 people/sq ml

4,654 people/sq ml

7 sq ml service area

41 sq ml

39 sq ml

2 sq ml

14 sq ml

113 stations

174 stations

145 stations

8 stations

57 stations

17 stations per sq ml

4 stations per sq ml

800 bikes

1,279 bikes

1,328 bikes

40 bikes

570 bikes

2011 launch year

2010 launch year

2011 launch year

For-profit owned and operated

Government owned, private operator

Non-profit owned and operated

For-profit owned and operated

municipal/institutional boundary

service area (1/4 mile buffer around all stations)

Peer System Comparison Government Owner Private Operator Public and Private Funding

NonNon- Profit Owner NonNon- Profit Operator Public and Private Funding

ForFor- Profit Owner Private Operator Private Funding

Advantages

Jurisdiction has greater control over the program

Minimizes financial risk to public agency

Private owner is fully responsible for funding the service

Ability to use government funding sources Private operators have the experience to operate a service

Government may benefit from a percentage of the revenue the service generates

Shifts some risk from public to private sector

As profit motive may be secondary to providing a public service, may have economical operations costs compared with other models that demand profit

Disadvantages

Some risk to public agency for equipment theft and damage as well as crashes

Requires the creation of a non-profit entity with long-term commitment

Municipality doesn't have as much control over the service as with other models

Agency may encounter difficulties in funding the service

Non-profit may not have expertise to operate system

Level of service may be lower that what the municipality may prefer

Experienced operator provides service

Fee Schedule Comparison Annual

Month

3- Day

2424- hour

n/a

$5.95

n/a

Prime

n/a

Standard

NiceRide Minnesota

$60

$30

n/a

Capital BikeShare

$75

$25

$15

Miami DecoBike

$180-$300

$15-25

n/a

$24

System viaCycle @ Georgia Tech

* Annual membership not available. Based on monthly membership rate multiplied by 12 months

System

viaCycle @ Georgia Tech NiceRide Minnesota

0- 30 min

3030- 60 min

6060- 90 min

9090- 120 min

Each 30min thereafter

Max 2424- hr charge

+ $1 - $2

$17.95

Prime

$0.45

$0.95

$1.95

+ $1 - $2

$19.95

Standard

$1.50

$4.50

$10.50

$6.00

$1.50

$4.50

$10.50

$6.00

$70.00

Annual Members

$2.00

$6.00

$14.00

$8.00

$94.00

Casual Members

$4.00

$8.00

$12.00

$4.00

Capital BikeShare

Miami DecoBike

Transportation Cost Comparison Travel

Parking

Total

Bike Share 1

$1.40

n/a

$1.40

Transit Fair 2

$2.50

n/a

$2.50

Car Trip 3 w/ metered on-street parking 4

$0.89

$2.00

$2.89

Car Trip 3 w/ off-street parking 5

$0.89

$5.00

$5.89

Taxi 6

$6.60

n/a

$6.00

Cost

Overall Assumptions Distance: Where distance is a factor in calculating costs, the distance of 1.5 miles is used. This distance roughly equals a 10 minute bike ride at 9 miles per hour. Parking Time: Parking assumes a 1 hour time frame. Notes 1. NiceRide. www.niceridemn.org/subscriptions/. Accessed June 14, 2012. Based on annual membership of $60. Cost per day based on annual membership divided by average annual trips by members of 43 trips per year. Assumes all trips are less than 30 minutes, which do not incur additional charges. 2. MARTA. Fares and Passes. www.itsmarta.com/fares-passes.aspx. Accessed June 14, 2012. Cost for single trip. 3. AAA. Your Driving Costs: 2012 Edition. Based on $0.596 per mile average. Percent costs include fuel, maintenance, tires, insurance, license, registration and taxes, depreciation, and financing. 4. Park Atlanta. Parking Meters. www.parkatlanta.org/meters.html#6. Accessed June 14, 2012. 5. Central Parking. find.parking.com/search/?query=atlanta%2C%20ga. Based on survey of rates for private parking lots and garages in downtown Atlanta. 6. Taxiwiz. Taxi rates for Atlanta. www.atlanta.taxiwiz.com/fare.php?lang=en. Accessed June 14, 2012. Based on $2.50 base fare, $2.00 per mile, and 20% gratuity.

Technical Findings

Analysis Context: Transit Access 38%

47%

Residents 18-64 live

Employees work

within a 5 minute bike ride of transit stations.

68%

66%

Residents 18-64 live

Employees work

within a 10 minute bike ride of transit stations.

Analysis Context: Bicycle Facilities Distribution of Bike Facilities by Type in Atlanta 40% (38 miles) 32% (32 miles)

28% (28 miles)

Distribution of Bike Facilities by Type in Decatur 46% (3.3 miles)

20% (1.4 miles)

34% (2.4 miles)

Analysis Overview –

Suitability Analysis

–

Forecast Demand and Usage

–

Operational Estimates

Suitability Analysis: Process Community Indicators – Trip Origins – Trip Destinations – Transportation Network Factors Raster Overlay Analysis – Variables Reclassified into 1-10 Scale – Variables Weighted by Importance

Suitability Analysis: Results Notes –

Results create basis for service area recommendations

–

Service areas used to calculate population and employment estimates

–

Results used to calculate demand estimates

Suitability Analysis: Service Areas

Suitability Analysis: Service Areas 14.1 Area in square miles of Phase 1 service areas

1 in 4 Residents 18-64 in Atlanta and Decatur live within the Phase 1 service areas

1 in 2 Employees in Atlanta and Decatur work within the Phase 1 service areas

Suitability Analysis: BeltLine and Service Areas

Demand Analysis: Process Community Factors – Membership and Casual Users – Bikes and Bike Stations – Trip Generations

Assumptions – Based on 2011 performance metrics for Nice Ride system – Trip generation • •

Annual members = 43 trips per year Casual users = 2.5 trips per day

– Bike and stations • •

4 stations per square mile 10 bikes per station

– Membership rates cover • • •

Residential population estimate Employee population estimate Student population estimate

Demand Analysis: Results Bike and station estimates

Annual members and casual user estimates

570

3,422

147,147

Estimated bikes for phase 1 service area

Annual members from phase 1 service areas

Estimated yearly trips by annual members

30,000

75,000

Estimated stations for phase 1 service area

Casual users from phase 1 service areas

Estimated yearly trips by casual users

Used to generate capital cost estimates.

Used to generate farebox revenue estimates.

Financial Analysis: Overview Two types of bike share models were analyzed.

Fixed Station System

Flexible Station System

Financial Analysis: Results Fixed Station

Flexible Station

$3.7m $9.2m $12.9m

$1.7m $4.3 m $6.0m

$2.6m $10.3m

$2.6m $3.4m

Expenses Capital Costs (6 years)

Operational Costs (6 years)

Total Expenses

Revenue Operating Revenue From User Fees (6 years)

Revenue Gap to Become Profit Neutral

Note: -All estimates are in millions of dollars. - Operations and maintenance costs include management staff, marketing budget, administration budget, backend technology, and maintenance service, among other items. The complete list can be found in the report.

Financial Analysis: Funding Sources DecoBike Miami Beach Federal

Capital BikeShare

NiceRide Minnesota

Boston Hubway

CMAQ

FHWA funds through local program

CMAQ FTA

State

Public Health Grant

Local

Vehicle decal fee commissions from transit fare media sales

Private

Private investment Advertising space

Business sponsorship

Blue Cross-Blue Shield Other private/nonprofit investors Station sponsorships

Direct system sponsor Other smaller sponsors

User Fees

Membership and usage fees

Technology Comparison Major Differences – Access to system

– Locking Mechanism

– Signage

Fixed Station System

Flexible Station System

Next Steps

Next Steps: Process Planning

–

Host community conversation about bike share

–

Develop community goals for bike share

–

Select business model

–

Identify and secure funding

– –

–

Performance Tracking and Assessment

Implementation

–

Select service hours and seasonal availability

–

Track system performance by analyzing data

–

Program marketing and sustainability

–

Integrate system with transit network

–

Address safety and livability considerations

–

Improve bicycle visibility with marketing and education campaigns

–

Develop bicycle redistribution strategy

–

Promote healthy living

–

Continue to calibrate system to improve accessibility based on performance, user preferences and community goals

Procure vendor and operator –

Develop bicycle redistribution strategy

–

Develop theft and vandalism protocols

–

Start riding!

Consider issues of equity and access Consider infrastructure improvements

Next Steps: Goals and Questions •

What are the community goals for bike sharing?

•

What type of business model is appropriate for Atlanta and Decatur?

•

Who should own the system?

•

How should it be funded?

•

What rules and regulations need to be in place?

Thanks for listening! Questions?

Contact Information

Rebecca Serna Executive Director rebecca@atlantabike.org

Brad Davis, AICP, CNU-A Project Manager, Senior Planner b.davis@robertco.com