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This pricing structure guidance is misleading. From my experience, the pricing structure is even broader. Like I said in an earlier post, I pay $15 a month for Miami's very extensive service. There isn't a yearly option. Quite frankly, it seems a bit sloppy to suggest that monthly subscriptions could be $25-50 while yearly subscriptions would only be $50-100. There's also a category in pricing that isn't even described and that's the single use fee. Many systems have single ride use options for visitors.
Certainly each city would have to figure out its own pricing structure that makes financial sense. Cities that highly subsidize the system have pretty darn low yearly subscriptions but that's leaving money on the table that could offset operational costs in my opinion. $15 a month is not burdensome to most people and, for those for which it might be, there can be a subsidized program or reduced monthly. For example, the yearly fee in Minneapolis is only $65 and their monthly fee is the same as Miami's. San Diego is $99 yearly and $20 monthly. Like Minneapolis, Charlotte's system is $65 a year but is drastically reduced for students to only $15 a year. There doesn't appear to be a weekly or monthly option in Charlotte and their day use is $8. New York has an annual membership fee of $149 but its members enjoy 15 more minutes per ride than the other baseline 30 minute memberships in other cities. Like Miami and Minneapolis, the monthly fee in NYC is about $15 ($14.95). Santa Monica, CA has a monthly fee of $20, a yearly fee of $119 and a city resident yearly fee of $79.
With a quick audit of systems within the state and in different parts of the country, it would seem that $15-20 per month is the typical going rate (not $25-50) and that yearly fees are more varied from "not offered" to $149. It's also fairly standard to have 30 minutes as the baseline included time for each ride before incurring additional charges.
I'd gladly pay $65 or more per year like Charlotte's plan or monthly like Miami's plan. I'd pay even more if it meant that the system was more robust. Miami has about 150 stations between it and Miami Beach. The system started in Miami Beach several years ago and has expanded into Miami in the last year or so. There is very little that I can't reach by bike in the more urban areas of Miami, Miami Beach and their fringes.
Special note: adding to the list of locations from an earlier post, Include the main entrances to Pullen Park and Chavis Park as possible station locations.
I saw it in Austin, TX when visiting there last fall and was deterred by the expense. Can't remember exactly how much it was, but just to rent a bike for 30 minutes was not cheap. I'm generally all for stuff like this, but I just don't think it would be very successful in Raleigh.
Its $8 for 24 hours if you don't have a monthly or annual membership. An $11 monthly membership gets you unlimited 30 minute rides.
I recall that in Austin it was more like $8 for 30 minutes and $4 for each additional 30 minutes (assuming no monthly membership), but perhaps I was mistaken and/or it would be priced differently here.
I recall that in Austin it was more like $8 for 30 minutes and $4 for each additional 30 minutes (assuming no monthly membership), but perhaps I was mistaken and/or it would be priced differently here.
Its $8 for an unlimited number of 30 minute rides in a 24 hour period. Its designed as a way to get from point a to point b, not really as a way for tourists to have access to a bike all day.
Its $8 for an unlimited number of 30 minute rides in a 24 hour period. Its designed as a way to get from point a to point b, not really as a way for tourists to have access to a bike all day.
Are the docking stations easy to use? For those who have used it in other cities, any problems in terms of the company keeping up with bike maintenance or machine problems? Just curious
Let private dollars, advertising, sponsorships pay for it. There are too many other deficient infrastructure needs in Raleigh that need to be addressed with tax dollars first.
Besides those cyclists will never get to their destination in one piece. They'll be either run over by a distracted texting driver or run off the road by an angry "bikes belong on sidewalks" hot-head.
This was offered in Nashville a couple of years ago and I thought it was great. It will be interesting to see how it goes over here in Raleigh.
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There's also a category in pricing that isn't even described and that's the single use fee. Many systems have single ride use options for visitors. 
