After 12 years and 1.76 million trips, today is the last day of #bikeshare in Houston. As vice chair of Houston Bike Share, the nonprofit operator of @houstonbcycle, I’d like to offer some perspective on what we accomplished and what we learned on this roller coaster journey. 1/
https://twitter.com/HoustonBCycle/status/1803498310369681460
@HoustonBCycle HBS was formed to operate bike share on behalf of the City of @HoustonTX. In 2018 we focused our mission on providing equitable access to bicycles for transportation, recreation, and health. We outlined the history in this @houstonchronicle op-ed. 2/ houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outloo…
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX The op-ed says most of what we have to say, but I want to highlight and expand on a few points. First, I’m proud of our transparency and open mindedness in pursuing our mission. We shared all the details of our situation with anyone interested. 3/ houstonbcycle.com/annual-report2…
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX We were never territorial about expanding micromobility in Houston. In 2018 we helped the City develop dockless regulations that they ultimately opted not to implement. We stood ready to help @METROHouston launch their promised system. 4/ 
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX @METROHouston Second, we made strides toward equity but didn’t get as far as we hoped. We knew our 60+ stations in LMI areas required community-based engagement to succeed. Our Go Pass program offered $3 memberships for self-reported low-income individuals… 5/ northernthirdward.com/bcycle-go-pass
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX @METROHouston …and a cash payment option but was stopped in its tracks by the pandemic. The Bike RX program supported by @AmericanHeartTX allowed @LegacyCommunity Health providers to prescribe a bike to patients who would benefit from physical activity. 6/ .houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/…
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX @METROHouston @AmericanHeartTX @LegacyCommunity Third, there has been an insinuation from some officials that the @houstonbcycle network is “recreational” and not transportation-oriented. 7/ governing.com/transportation…
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX @METROHouston @AmericanHeartTX @LegacyCommunity Ridership was predominantly recreational early on, but that changed as we added neighborhood and campus stations. In 2021, based on indicators like one-way versus round trips and ride duration, recreational rides were down to about 40% of trips. 8/
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX @METROHouston @AmericanHeartTX @LegacyCommunity And we believe that any bike trip is worth supporting. @HouPublicWorks and @TxDOT don’t deduct recreational trips from traffic counts. @METROHouston doesn’t deduct recreational trips from ridership numbers. 9/
Furthermore, with more than half of @HoustonBCycle stations located within a block of a @METROHouston bus stop, rail station, or transit center, it’s hard to envision a better first- and last-mile network. 10/
@HoustonBCycle @METROHouston You could reduce recreational trips by omitting park stations, but how would people get from transit to parks? 11/
@HoustonBCycle @METROHouston Fourth, bike share is the best deal in public transportation. The subsidy to support our 175-station network would be $1 million and deliver 300k+ rides per year, or $3.33 per ride. It costs @METROHouston $10-11 to provide a local bus or rail ride. 12/ transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.…
@HoustonBCycle @METROHouston Besides the transport (and health, air quality, public safety, etc.) value, bike share has promoted an image of Houston as a green, modern city. From the @iah rental car shuttle video to every sportscast b-roll, @houstonbcycle has been @HoustonFirst's best unpaid ambassador. 13/
@HoustonBCycle @METROHouston @iah @HoustonFirst In conclusion, we have demonstrated how equitable bike share for transportation, recreation, and health can work in sprawling sunbelt city. The resources needed are modest, it would just take leadership from our elected officials. 14/
@HoustonBCycle @METROHouston @iah @HoustonFirst We, like others, had an uphill battle against bike share's original sin. Public and private partners have generously supported our expansion, but the City’s commitment in October was the first time any public funds went to @HoustonBCycle's operations. 15/ fastcompany.com/90883010/undoi…
@HoustonBCycle @METROHouston @iah @HoustonFirst I will never miss an opportunity to shout out our dedicated staff who have stuck with us through the ups and downs. Perhaps what pains me the most is to see Houston's bike share talent, know-how, and passion walk out the door. 16/
@HoustonBCycle @METROHouston @iah @HoustonFirst I’ll leave you with one final fun fact. The conventional wisdom is that Houston is too hot for biking. In fact, Houstonians ride all summer and only back off in the winter months. Houston is, in fact, too cold for biking. 17/17 for now.
@HoustonBCycle @HoustonTX Sorry, @HoustonChron!
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
