Unprecedented enthusiasm for BIXI, not only in Montreal, but also in many cities of the metropolitan area
MONTREAL, Nov. 24, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - With an exceptional 14th season wrapping up a few days ago, at midnight on November 15, BIXI is very pleased that once again this year its bike share service is increasing in popularity as a mobility solution for Montrealers and residents of the metropolitan area. Offering its services on the Island of Montreal, as well as in Longueuil and Laval, BIXI saw a 55% increase in ridership and a 30% increase in the number of members, breaking records beyond all initial predictions.
As undeniable proof that more and more people are considering the bike-sharing service for getting around on a daily basis, as well as for leisure, the number of individual users increased by 52% in one year, reaching almost half a million users (437,140). The previous record of trips recorded in 2021 (5.8 million) was also broken this year with over 9 million trips between April 13 and November 15.
While more and more Quebeckers are using bikes as a mode of transportation, BIXI has seen unprecedented enthusiasm for the bike-sharing service in other cities where it operates as well (Longueuil, Laval, East Montreal, Westmount, and Mount Royal). Furthermore, BIXI is wrapping up the 2022 season with a strong increase in ridership and the number of members in Laval and Longueuil, two dynamic cities that support eco-friendly solutions to help address current traffic issues.
BIXI is also currently in discussions with a dozen other cities in Quebec to extend its service offering as quickly as possible and develop its network on the north and south shores of Montreal.
"We are pleased to report that more and more cities are interested in BIXI, while the suburbs are now seeing the same success as Montreal in terms of ridership. Providing an eco-friendly, active mode of transportation, BIXI is contributing to the transition to more sustainable transportation and easier commuting in cities throughout Quebec. In addition to having a positive influence on active mobility in the Montreal region, BIXI remains a global leader in bike-sharing services, with both regular and electric bikes, making tangible actions that work towards the country's carbon-neutral goals by using solar and electric energy," said Christian Vermette, General Manager of BIXI Montréal.
BIXI's annual survey in 2022 showed a high customer satisfaction rate of 88%. Ease of use, low cost, easy access to the service and electric bike performance were all at the top of the list of reasons why so many users chose BIXI this season.
While the number of employees tripled since BIXI was founded in 2014, the NPO is currently recruiting several positions at their head office to help meet the increasing demand for regular and electric BIXIs. There are also a high number of seasonal positions to be filled this winter.
With an emphasis on a strong employer brand, a unique company culture, employee well-being, competitive salaries and lots of employee benefits, every year BIXI organizes virtual career days that they post here. Anyone interested in joining the BIXI team and plunging into the heart of eco-friendly urban mobility can check the career section of the website where vacant positions are posted throughout the year and candidates can apply spontaneously at any time.
BIXI recently won the Sustainable Mobility Leaders People's Choice Award from the Centres de gestion des déplacements urbains (Urban Transport Management Centres) for its BIXI-MURAL project that was designed to celebrate reaching 50 million trips taken in Greater Montreal since the bike-sharing service was launched in 2009.
Last June, the public was invited to come out and admire 5 BIXI works of art created by Montreal artists at the MURAL Festival, along with 45 other bikes from the same collections that were ridden throughout the city streets all summer long and had Montrealers and visitors alike admiring these beautiful masterpieces on wheels!
"BIXI is very proud of the unprecedented success of its 2022 season. But, beyond the statistics and records, today we are celebrating the innovation that BIXI has brought to the city year after year. Our company culture always aims to bring us closer to our customers and highlight BIXI's innovative side, as we saw with the creative project organized as part of the MURAL Festival," said Pierre-Luc Marier, Director of Integrated Marketing, Communications and Public Relations at BIXI Montréal.
It is worth noting as well that one of BIXI's first partners, CycloChrome, a social economy business that is fighting to keep students from dropping out of school and specializes in bike mechanics, won the Groundbreaker Award for its project on electric bike batteries and engine reconditioning. CycloChrome is offering the first professional bike mechanic program in Canada.
Electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular. It is a convenient, affordable, safe, and reliable mode of transportation, all the while being fun, requiring less physical effort and allowing users to travel longer distances more quickly. This season, BIXI added nearly 500 electric bikes, about 30 new electric stations and 765 additional docking points to its network. In total, the public now has access to 2,400 electric bikes and 184 electric stations. Electric BIXIs are used on average 24% more often than regular ones.
"Recognized as one of the biggest international trends, electric micromobility is a new way of getting around that addresses concerns over sustainable development, traffic congestion and increasing gas prices. Electric bikes are also an incentive for people to stop solo driving," added Alexandre Taillefer, Chair of BIXI Montreal's board of directors.
BIXI would like to take this opportunity to thank its invaluable partners who have contributed to making this season the most memorable yet: Fizz, Doordash, Hilo, Rachelle Béry, Cogeco, ARTM (Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain), as well as the cities of Montreal, East Montreal, Westmount, Mount Royal, Longueuil and Laval.
BIXI would also like to thank its partners and employees for their exceptional work, especially in operations, without whom this record-breaking year would not have been possible. Despite the challenges, BIXI's dedicated employees have provided exemplary customer service to users 24/7!
BIXI is a non-profit organization that was created by the City of Montreal to manage the city's bike-sharing service. In 2022, the network had 7,270 regular bikes and 2,395 electric bikes in Montreal, along with the cities of East Montreal, Westmount, Mount Royal, Longueuil and Laval. With 794 stations, including 184 electric stations, Montreal has the largest fleet of electric bikes in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Electric BIXIs and mixed regular/electric BIXI stations are the product of Quebec expertise. For more information, please visit the BIXI website.
SOURCE BIXI Montréal
Bérengère Thériault, [email protected], C: 514 999-6493
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