City Selects Vendor for Pilot Bike Share Program

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Bicycles Are a Popular Form of Transportation for Many in Portland. They May Become Even More Popular Next June.

Tandem Mobility has been selected to plan and launch a pilot bike share program in Portland in June of 2022 according to a press release issued by the city’s spokeswoman today.  This decision follows a Request for Proposal released earlier this year.

Tandem Mobility, a Michigan-based company, proposes to deliver and operate a turnkey pilot bike share program of 200 bikes with a combination of pedal and electric assist bicycles.  Key distinguishing elements of Tandem’s proposal and approach include:  Emphasis on community partnership, collaboration and system financial sustainability; opportunities for local branding and system sponsorship; strong parking management regime including vendor provided custom racks and approved parking zones/vertical parking stations resulting in a 100% locked–to-bike racks system; well-established system software/smartphone app; flexibile pricing options; system equity components including a ‘wallet’ feature for the unbranded, discounts for students and persons with low income; good operations plan including one locally based full-time Operations Manager and part-time staff.

Next steps include the city working with Tandem this fall and winter to secure the needed program sponsorship to launch the pilot program.  Portland anticipates the first year of the program being a provisional pilot period with possible extensions subsequent to agreement by both parties.

“Expanded ways for people to safely bike in Portland is consistently mentioned by residents as something they value and hope to see more of,” said Christine Grimando, the city’s Planning & Urban Development Director.  “Having a bike share system in Portland will be a fantastic opportunity for us to increase affordable healthy transit and recreation options for all.”

Bruce Hyman, the city’s Transportation Planner, has been spearheading this effort for several years now.  The idea has been considered in the past.  Please visit post herein dated February 28, 2019 for more background information on the subject.

Portland’s bike network has been evolving for the last 20 years.  It currently has 22 miles of bike lanes, nine miles of shared use pathways and five and a half miles of bicycle boulevards with additional miles of each type in planning and design according to the city’s press release issued today.