BIXI MONTRÉAL: A record 5.3 million rides in 2018 and an expansion plan for five new boroughs Français
MONTREAL, Nov. 13, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - As BIXI's 10th season comes to an end on Thursday evening, BIXI MONTRÉAL continues to celebrate this anniversary! We hit a record high of more than 5.3 million rides in a single season in 2018, which is an 11.3% increase compared with 2017. With the ridership rate constantly rising year after year, BIXI MONTRÉAL President Marie Elaine Farley says that she is very proud of what has been achieved so far: "By enhancing the client experience and continuing to innovate with the collaboration of important partners who are committed to improving urban mobility, including our presenting partner Manuvie, BIXI MONTRÉAL has shown its capacity to renew itself. We are proud of contributing to the cycling modal share in Greater Montreal through an offering that is ever more diversified and accessible to the public and visitors alike."
Ms. Farley also underscores the success of innovative initiatives that can respond to clients' present and future needs. "New products, implementation of a corporate sales service that is more popular than ever, pilot projects for electric bicycles, BIXI laser for client safety, attractive new prices and the rollout of an OPUS payment system combining public transit and bike-sharing are a few examples which speak for BIXI's vitality over the past five years," she adds.
A LARGER NETWORK IN 2019: FIVE NEW BOROUGHS WILL BE SERVED
Since its launch in Montreal, 1.3 million Bixists have clocked more than 38 million rides, which shows Montrealers' captivation for the BIXI service. In a context where traffic jams, environmental preservation and the role of cars in the urban setting are topics of concern, a bike-sharing service such as BIXI is proving to be more relevant than ever. As increased use is projected for the next few years, the City of Montreal announced in August that the BIXI network would start expanding from 2019.
"BIXI, at the heart of the city's future development plans, is an integral part of promotion strategies for active transportation modes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a higher quality of life. The addition of 1,000 new self-service bikes and installation of 60 new stations will enable BIXI to be even more present in the Montreal area. Also, an investment of $15 million will pave the way for 48 bike path development projects to be implemented and the existing network to be upgraded so that is safer and more user-friendly. To date, the network has 879 km of bike paths, making Montrealers prouder than ever," says Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.
60 new stations, 2,625 docking points and 1,000 additional bicycles will be in service from next spring. So, BIXI will be present in five new boroughs, that is, Lachine, Saint-Laurent, Montréal-Nord, Anjou and Saint-Léonard. Currently, BIXI is working together with the boroughs to finalize the location of new stations.
HUGE SUCCESS WITH OPUS CARD PAYMENT, NEW PRODUCTS AND ATTRACTIVE FARES
While Montreal became the first North American city to introduce a payment system combining public transit with bike-sharing in 2017 (through the Opus card and smart stations launched in 2017), the number of BIXI Opus purchases doubled in 2018 compared with the same period last year. Among the other successful products launched in 2018 is the new reduced fare for students and seniors aged 65 and above. In total, nearly 15,000 users took advantage of this offer.
INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS
BIXI MONTRÉAL's corporate sales increased 41 % compared with last year, which confirms the popularity of the corporate program for organizations and businesses with 20 or more employees. By encouraging the use of the BIXI service, Montreal businesses are promoting the benefits of exercising while contributing to the well-being of their employees and the fight against climate change. For more information about this program, please visit the Bixi.com website and its Pricing section.
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERTISE
Over the past few years, BIXI MONTRÉAL has been able to acquire unparalleled expertise to become a key actor in urban mobility. In particular, it collaborated with Polytechnique Montréal, various Canadian universities and mobility projects in Montreal such as the HEC Hackathon, STM's combined mobility study and the Quartier des spectacles' mobility project. It serves as an international reference for cities all over the world who turn to it to learn more about the best practices of the first North American city to have offered a bike-sharing service. This expertise, along with sound and effective management, has made it possible to continually improve BIXI's service.
BIXI THANKS ITS INVALUABLE PARTNERS
BIXI MONTRÉAL would like to take this opportunity to thank Manuvie, its presenting partner.
"This was an exceptional season for BIXI, and with more than 5.3 million rides, it's difficult to not notice these bicycles on our streets," says Manuvie President and CEO Richard Payette. "We're very happy to be able to collaborate with BIXI for the past three years in promoting healthy habits in the community, which is something that's close to our hearts as a business."
BIXI would also like to thank its new partners who joined the adventure in 2018: cellular telephone service provider Fido and online eyewear retailer Clearly. This has enabled Bixists to enjoy new and remarkable experiences. In conclusion, BIXI would also like to acknowledge the commitment of its invaluable partners and the loyalty of its users who contribute each year to making Montreal greener and healthier!
ABOUT BIXI MONTRÉAL
BIXI MONTRÉAL is a non-profit organization created by the City of Montreal to manage its bike-sharing system. In 2018, the network has 6,250 bikes and 540 stations spread out across Montreal, Longueuil and Westmount.
ABOUT MANUVIE, BIXI MONTRÉAL'S PRESENTING PARTNER
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2017, we had approximately 34,000 employees, 73,000 agents and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 26 million customers. As of December 31, 2017, we had more than $1.04 trillion (US$829.4 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months, we made almost $26.7 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States, where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong.
SOURCE BIXI Montréal
BIXI MONTRÉAL, Bérengère Thériault, Spokesperson, Cell: 514 999-6493, [email protected]
Share this article