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Considering we subsidize a single little used ferry line for the tune of $3 million a year, and every other major mode of transportation is heavily subsidized, is it really asking too much to help fund a more popular than expected program that provides people with some physical activity, contributes far less pollution compared to the other transport modes, and somewhat relieves the burden on our other over-taxed systems?
I'll admit to a certain amount of malicious glee. I think the core idea of bikes was a nice one. What bothers me is everything associated with it - that it turned into an opportunity for Citibank to benefit from it, that the bikes are apparently too expensive for some of the people who would most need it, that they had the nerve to take away city street space, that they apparently can only be sued via credit card, by which I'm assuming they will just collect even more data on people...
Unlike bike sharing programs in cities like San Francisco, Chicago or Boston that are either partially or entirely ran with public funds, Citibike was designed to be self-sufficient.
That was a very ambitious Idea from the get-go given this city's size and how large the system, itself, needed to be.
I personally believe that in the initial phases of deployment, the program should be publicly funded as to give the program a push and a chance for greater user penetration.
Urban cycling is a win win for governments and regular folk alike. The benefits massively outweigh any potential costs.
People (particularly some drivers) will whine and moan but there ain't no stopping this puppy now.
Actually, it should be the other way around. End all the subsidies, and make people pay the full freight for what they use.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arxis28
Considering we subsidize a single little used ferry line for the tune of $3 million a year, and every other major mode of transportation is heavily subsidized, is it really asking too much to help fund a more popular than expected program that provides people with some physical activity, contributes far less pollution compared to the other transport modes, and somewhat relieves the burden on our other over-taxed systems?
Who's idea was this in the first place, and who passed it? Now it is failing, and they want the taxpayer to foot the bill?
Maybe there shall be a special hipster, and yuppy tax.
Actually how much does it possibly cost to operate. There is no station attendant. Can those bikes not handle the rain or snow? Just get rid of it, and let private people offer to store people's bikes for them if they cannot find space for it. Or just put up those bike stands everywhere so people can chain to something.
Subsidize this thing. Make it public. Improve the tech on it to make it even cheaper and more cost-productive. Do a better job of rolling out like programs in other cities and get larger economies of scale.
Exercise, you fat bastards, and get some locomotion with less fuel dependency. Get to know your neighbors and have an orgy. Be cool, man. Be cool.
Much like car sharing schemes one believes those whom dreamed up this "Citibike" idea simply did not seriously consider that NYC, in particular Manhattan is a totally different market than anywhere else.
Normally whenever something offers a yearly or monthly subscription/membership that rate is going to be less than those whom pay as they go.
A bulk of Citibike's business seems to be New Yorkers that know what they want/need to do; get from point a to b and perhaps back again. To get tourists or other single event users is going to require vast more effort and even then may not prove lucrative.
Late Spring through perhaps early Fall is the primary tourist season in NYC. The nice weather seasons are also the peak biking time as well. Once bad or chilly to cold weather sets in the only persons you really see on any sort of bike are dedicated riders and or those must. I've seen those Hispanic/Latino and Chinese delivery persons out on bikes this past winter in every sort of weather from blizzards to temps < 20F. I'm all for fresh air and exercise as the next person, but once serious winter weather arrives my biking is done until spring arrives.
No other sponsor is going to touch "Citibike" because unless the naming is changed all the benefits go to Citibank.
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