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Bixi (bicycle share system)

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Bixi
Bixi station
Bixi station
Overview
OwnerCity of Montreal
LocaleMontreal, Quebec
Transit typeBicycle sharing system
Number of stations900 (2024)
Annual ridership13 million (2024)
Websitehttps://montreal.bixi.com
Operation
Began operation2009
Number of vehicles11,000, including 2,600 electric (2024)

Bixi (sometimes stylized as BIXI) is a public bicycle sharing system serving the metropolitan area of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Launched in May 2009 by Public Bike System Company (PBSC), it is North America's first large-scale bike sharing system and the original Bixi brand of systems. PBSC filed for bankruptcy at the beginning of 2014 after the company started experiencing financial difficulties in late 2013.[1][2] The City of Montreal then bought PBSC's assets for $11.9 million in February 2014 and created Bixi Montréal, a non-profit entity, to run the bike sharing operations.[3]

In 2023, Bixi was the second-most used bicycle sharing system in the U.S. and Canada, behind only the Citi Bikes of New York City, which are modelled after Bixi.[4][5]

Name

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Bixi is a portmanteau of "bicyclette" (French for "bicycle") and "taxi", underlining the concept of being able to hail a bicycle just like a taxi. The name was coined by Michel Gourdeau, who won a public competition to find the best name for the service when it was first introduced in Montreal. The prize for the winner was a Bixi pass for life.[6]

System components

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See also: PBSC Urban Solutions § Equipment

A complete station is made up of a pay station, bikes, and bike docks (where the bikes are kept), which are fitted into modular platforms powered by solar panels. These platforms are the base and electronic ports for pay stations and bike docks. Bike stations can be created, expanded, configured, and removed in about half an hour, monitored by a real-time management system. Excavation or preparatory work is not required, allowing the installation of a bike station as an addition to on-street parking.

Bike dock and locking system

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Bike docks are used to store and lock bikes. These modular docking stations are formed by a combination of groups of four docks. The bike dock's modularity allows a pay station to be used in the place of a single dock. Maintenance and repair of the system is simple because of a removable module present in every docking station, which contains the locking system and all necessary parts that allow the system to function. In case of repairs, this module can be replaced with an identical one immediately, reducing the downtime of the system. The locking system is based on an energy-efficient motor used in the medical sector. The principal inventor of these systems is Charles Khairallah,[7] president of Robotics Design,[8][9][10][11] with co-inventor Michel Dallaire, president of Michel Dallaire Industrial Design.[12]

Bikes

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Bixi bike in front of a Montreal mural
Bixi pay station with small touchscreen and credit card slot
A Bixi bike and a pay station

The bicycles are utility bicycles with unisex step-through frames and three gears. The one-piece aluminum frame and handlebars hide cables in an effort to protect them from tampering and harsh weather conditions. The heavy-duty tires are designed to be puncture-resistant and are filled with nitrogen gas to maintain proper pressure for longer.[13] Twin LED rear lights are found inside the frame, and the sturdy frame weighs approximately 18 kg (40 lb). White LED lights are found in the front of the bike. The bikes are built in Saguenay, Quebec, by Cycles Devinci. Blue electric bicycles were added to the Bixi fleet in 2019.[14]

Pay station

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Users can rent a bike using a subscriber key (a "Bixi key") obtained through a long-term (30-day or annual) online subscription or an access code provided by the pay station (24-hour or 72-hour access). Pay stations are touchscreen-operated and only accept credit cards. A button is used to notify Bixi mechanics of bicycles requiring servicing.[citation needed]

Subscriptions

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In order to use the system, users need to take out a subscription, which allows the subscriber an unlimited number of rentals under 30 minutes for one- and three-day subscriptions, and 45 minutes for one-month and one-year subscriptions. A trip that lasts longer than this no-charge period is subject to additional charges on an increasing scale. This increasing price scale is meant to keep the bikes in circulation.[citation needed]

Development

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Stationnement de Montréal

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The project was included in the transportation plan for the City of Montreal, which aimed at encouraging active modes of transportation, such as bicycle. The program is run by the city's parking authority, Stationnement de Montréal.[15]

Other developers

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  • 8D Technologies developed the technological platform behind the Bixi system, including the wireless bike station terminals, RFID bike dock technology, and all software systems.[16][17][18][19] The system runs on solar energy to reduce environmental impact and maximize energy efficiency. 8D also created the Spotcycle bike-share smartphone app that locates and shows the status of bike stations close to the users.[20]
  • Michel Dallaire created the design of the physical components.[21][22]
  • Robotics Design created the modular bike dock and intelligent locking system.[23]
  • Cycles Devinci manufactures Bixi bikes in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec.[24]
  • Rio Tinto Alcan is the title sponsor of the Bixi program and provides aluminum for the bikes.[25]
  • Morrow Communications.[26]

Station network

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A row of parked bikes in a park
Parked Bixi bikes in Jeanne-Mance Park

The location of a Bixi bike station is determined by several parameters, including population density, points of interest and activities (e.g., universities), bike paths, other transportation networks, and data on travel patterns of the general public. In 2009, 5,000 bikes were deployed in Montreal through a network of pay stations located mainly in the boroughs of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, the Plateau-Mont-Royal, and Ville-Marie, spilling over into parts of Outremont and the South West. As of 2024, the Bixi fleet has expanded to more than 11,000 bikes, about 2,600 of which are electric, in more than 900 stations.[27] The network has spread outside of Montreal Island, with stations located in the suburban cities of Laval, Longueuil, Boucherville, Terrebonne and Sainte-Julie.[28]

Difficulties

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Montreal's Bixi system experienced some initial difficulties less than two months after its introduction in 2009, with damage and vandalism to some of the bikes. La Presse reported on July 5, 2009, that one in five bikes had been damaged and 15% of bike racks had become defective. Stationnement de Montréal communications director Michel Philibert said that the organization planned to reinforce racks and was testing prototype designs.[29] Designer Michel Dallaire said it never occurred to him that people would try to break the stations to steal bikes.[22] Since then, there has been no significant damage or vandalism issues reported in any of the Bixi installations.

The program experienced several serious setbacks and obstacles during its lifetime, including mismanagement, breach-of-contract litigation, and the surmounting of debt,[30][31][32][33] most notably when the City of Montreal was forced to sell the lucrative international division, eliminating the only part of the program that turned a profit.[34] Eventually, this contributed to the company's filing for bankruptcy in January 2014.[35][36][37][38] The international division was renamed PBSC Urban Solutions and continued to extend its activities in several countries, including United States,[39][40] Canada,[41] and Mexico.[39][42]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Yu, Alan (21 January 2014). "Big Bike-Sharing Supplier's Bankruptcy Doesn't Doom U.S. Programs". NPR. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  2. ^ "Once bankrupt, Montreal's Bixi can't keep up with global demand". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  3. ^ "Bixi needs Montrealers to 'show their love': Denis Coderre". CBC News. 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  4. ^ "Shared Micromobility in the U.S. and Canada: 2023" (PDF). National Association of City Transportation Officials. July 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  5. ^ "NYC gets its own version of Bixi". CBC News. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  6. ^ Marchal, Mathias (9 April 2018). "Dix choses que vous ne saviez (probablement) toujours pas sur BIXI". Journal Métro (in French). Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  7. ^ WIPO. "(WO/2009/129623) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING A MOVABLE ITEM TO A STRUCTURE". Wipo.int. Archived from the original on 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  8. ^ Marc Tison. "Le Volksvélo" (PDF). La Presse. Retrieved 2008-09-28.[dead link‍]
  9. ^ http://www.roboticsdesign.qc.ca/MERCI_ROBOTICS_DESIGN-BIXI.jpg[dead link‍]
  10. ^ Sébastien Lamoureux. "Robotics Design à l'origine d'innovations audacieuses du Bixi". ETS university. Retrieved 2010-10-27.[dead link‍]
  11. ^ http://www.roboticsdesign.qc.ca/Coup_D'oeuil_2009_BIXI.pdf[dead link‍]
  12. ^ Lysiane Gagnon. "Montreal's wheels of fortune". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  13. ^ Ross Lydall (2010-05-21). "Taking a ride on Boris's hot wheels hire bikes". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 2010-06-29. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  14. ^ Thomas, Katelyn (27 August 2019). "Montreal adds 100 electric Bixis to fleet, will cost $1 extra per ride". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  15. ^ Hamilton, Graeme (2009-10-26). "Part bicycle, part taxi". CBC News.
  16. ^ Mc Kenna, Alain (21 November 2008). "La technologie québécoise intéresse les étrangers". La Presse. Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  17. ^ Swedberg, Claire (17 July 2008). "Montreal RFID-enabled Bike Project Picks Up Speed". RFID Journal. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  18. ^ Lau, Kathleen (10 November 2008). "Wireless, solar power drives Montreal bike rentals". IT World Canada. ITWC. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  19. ^ Beaulieu, Alain (22 October 2008). "8D: la nouvelle dimension du vélo urbain". Direction informatique. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  20. ^ "www.8d.com". www.8d.com. Archived from the original on 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  21. ^ "www.dallairedesign.com". www.dallairedesign.com. Archived from the original on 1998-12-05. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  22. ^ a b HALFNIGHT, ANDREW (August 17, 2009). "Picking the brain of Bixi's inventor". Montreal Gazette. Canwest. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
  23. ^ "roboticsDesign". roboticsDesign. Archived from the original on 2011-03-13. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  24. ^ "www.devinci.com" (in French). www.devinci.com. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  25. ^ "Rio Tinto Alcan and BIXI: a partnership on a roll" (Press release). Rio Tinto Alcan. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
  26. ^ "www.morrow.ca". www.morrow.ca. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  27. ^ Ouellette-Vézina, Henri (16 October 2024). "Saison 2025: BIXI Montréal ajoutera encore plus d'un millier de vélos à son parc". La Presse (in French). Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  28. ^ Nicastro, Lylou (26 November 2024). "BIXI: Plus de 13 millions de déplacements en 2024". La Presse (in French). Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  29. ^ Cameron, Daphné (2009-07-05). "Robuste, le Bixi?". La Presse (in French). Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  30. ^ Lyon, Cody. "The Drama Behind the Bike Share Delay". Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  31. ^ "8D Technologies Sues BiXi Bike Share for 26 Million – New York, Chattanooga and San Francisco Deployments Delayed". Public Bike Share. 2012-04-30. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  32. ^ "Bixi's broken spokes - Macleans.ca". 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  33. ^ McGreal, Ryan. "Hamilton Lucked Out With Bike-Share - Raise the Hammer". www.raisethehammer.org. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  34. ^ "National Post".
  35. ^ Wright, Robert (2014-01-21). "Public Bicycle-Sharing Company wobbles into bankruptcy". Financial Times. ISSN 0307-1766. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  36. ^ "Bixi files for bankruptcy - The Fulcrum". 2014-01-30. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  37. ^ "CitiBikes' Canadian manufacturer files for bankruptcy: report". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  38. ^ Riga, Andy. "Montrealers might be on hook for Bixi woes". Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  39. ^ a b International, Radio Canada (2016-04-15). "PBSC bikes around the world". Radio Canada International. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  40. ^ "L'ancien BIXI international en mode croissance". Métro (in Canadian French). 13 May 2015. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  41. ^ "Once bankrupt, Montreal's Bixi can't keep up with global demand". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  42. ^ "PBSC Urban Solutions launched Huizi Toluca, the city's brand new bike-sharing program". www.sibrtonline.org. Archived from the original on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
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