New Bike Sharing Program In Ann Arbor Ready To Roll
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - A new bike sharing program is rolling out in Ann Arbor this week.
ArborBike is set to premiere through a soft launch Thursday morning since not all of the stations have been installed yet, The Ann Arbor News reported. As of now, about 45 to 50 Trek bikes will be circulated throughout six stations, many of which are within University of Michigan campus areas.
The program hopes to increase its presence to 14 stations with 125 rentable bikes by next spring. They will be places in areas where there are high population and employment densities, with a focus on students.
ArborBike memberships cost $65 for an annual pass, $10 for a monthly pass and $6 for a 24-hour pass. U-M students and employees are able to purchase annual passes at discounted rates. Businesses can also get a discount if they purchase 15 or more annual memberships for employees. Nonprofit organizations can get the same $45 rate as U-M students.
The bikes can be used for 60-minute trips without an additional charge. If a rider surpasses the 60-minute mark, he or she will be charged $3 for each additional 30-minute increment.
The program, which will shut down for the winter and resume in the spring, is managed by local nonprofit Clean Energy Coalition. It's funded by a $600,000 federal grant, the city of Ann Arbor, U-M and memberships.
Riders must be 18 or older, and they are strongly encouraged to wear helmets.
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