BCycle, Madison’s bike share system, which is currently owned by Trek, a Wisconsin-based bicycle manufacturer, will soon be acquired by Bicycle Transit Systems, the operator of three bike share systems across the United States, according to a statement from BTS CEO Kristin Gavin-Wisniewski.
The acquisition is set to close in October and will give ownership of BCycle’s contracts, software, hardware and future product development over to Bicycle Transit Systems, according to the statement.
Robbie Webber, board member at Madison Bikes and a member of Madison’s Transportation Commission spoke to the importance of bikes in Madison and the options that bike sharing opens up to the community.
“Bike sharing is an important part of our transportation system, especially when combined with other modes,” Webber said in an emails statement. “A healthy transportation system gives people options to fit the type of trip they are taking: distance, speed, weather, carrying items, cost.”
With the addition of Trek’s BCycles, Bicycle Transit Systems will become the largest docked bike share provider in the U.S. by the number of communities served, according to PR Newswire
The first wave of BCycles hit the streets of Madison in the summer of 2011, according to an article from the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. The BCycle program is focused on sustainable transportation and accessibility, according to the article.
The program is also a big part of campus life. University of Wisconsin and Madison Area Technical College faculty, staff and students are provided discounted use of the bikes when they sign up with their school email address, according to BCycle.
City of Madison Communications Manager Dylan Brogan said the acquisition will not affect the city’s operating agreements with BCycle, nor will it impact the lives of community members.
The City of Madison has a contract with BCycle that runs until the end of 2030, eliminating risks for the transfer of ownership, according to Brogan.
‘The city has an agreement, and they [Bicycle Transit Systems] are obligated to fill it.” Brogan said. “We signed a 10-year contract to provide this service to our residents, and that won’t change.”
