weBike: Bike Sharing System
weBike is a bicycle rental system that works through a mobile app instead of a “station-based” operation. It works like this. A number of bikes are locked up anywhere around the city and when the user needs a bike they pull up their weBike app, find the nearest bike available, unlock it with a unique, one-time code, and go. When they are finished, they lock it back up and it becomes accessible for another potential user. weBike calls this a “game changer” and, well, I want to believe them.
The problems I instantly considered are accountability (theft) and improper locking locations. Regarding accountability, is there a system in place to return the bikes into the sharing system if someone decides to just lock it in their home? If all they are paying for is a mobile app, it seems like anyone could get their hands on a free bike for the cost of the app. And what about improper locking locations? Station-based models are monitored and accessible, but what if one of these random bike is locked improperly and either gets stolen or removed by the authorities, then how long until the entire fleet is missing? Oh, and then there are the incentives for crowd-funding. You don’t really get much for chipping in.
I honestly like the idea of this project attempting to balance communalism with capitalism, but I think there are some obvious problems with the system (and human nature) that need to be addressed before this becomes completely viable. What do you think?
AllieAugust 24, 2012 at 11:10 am
Thanks for taking a look at our system Scott. I wanted to tackle some of the questions you brought up.
It sounds like you’re curious how we track bikes in a weBike system, so let me explain how we do. Our online software allows communities who operate a system to see where each bike is, which riders have checked it out, and when they need service or maintenance. Only authorized, registered users in the community may check out a bike, so if the bike goes missing during a weekly check-up, we can go back and contact who had it to recover it (damanges or lost bikes may be charged to the user).
Over the course of our two systems in College Park, MD (on and off campus at UMD) there has only been one bike we were not able to recover. We’re moving on to Susquehanna University this semester to launch a program in a new environment. We’ll test our track record there
Stations and GPS tracking are not the only way to know where a bike is … they’re just an expensive way to do it. $50,000 for one station, $100+ for tracking on EACH bike. That’s not affordable to a college campus or a small community who has to shell out millions for a system that’s comprehehsive enough to be useful.
In order to truly get more people biking we have to create a model that can be adopted anywhere, and that’s what we hope to do with weBike: make shift happen.
Scott SpitzAugust 25, 2012 at 7:52 amAuthor
Thanks for the clarification Allie!
KyleAugust 27, 2012 at 12:30 pm
weBike rocks!