City of Montreal signs new 10-year contract with BIXI-Montreal
MONTREAL, Jan. 23, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - The City of Montreal has renewed its trust in BIXI-Montreal with a new 10-year contract. This contract cements BIXI's position as a key partner in integrated mobility, as well as city hall's determination to deliver a bike sharing service to everyone in the city. As part of the new contract, Marie Elaine Farley – President of BIXI-Montreal – along with Eric Alan Caldwell – city councillor, member of the executive committee, and town planning and transport manager – and the Office de consultation publique de Montréal, announced that BIXI's service is set to be rolled out across Montreal's 19 districts by 2028. By expanding the service into 19 districts, up from the current 11, BIXI will see its service coverage triple in 10 years.
Marie Elaine Farley announced, "This contract shows that all the hard work put in by BIXI-Montreal's new management team since 2014 has rebuilt the people of Montreal's trust and pride in this service, which has come to be an essential cog in the urban mobility machine".
NEW MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
In 2018, BIXI recorded a record of more than 5.3 million journeys. The phenomenal 220% growth in use of the service over the past five years (in number of short and long-term purchases) and the planned expansion of the service mean that the new contract brings with it a forecasted average annual income of $4m, based on the shared key concept. The aim is to set up a single management and operations fee for each piece of BIXI infrastructure, whether it be for bikes, terminals, bike docks, or advertising space. This new way of calculating costs will clarify the fees incurred when adding facilities to a given area, and establish an income/surplus sharing strategy between various stakeholders, without giving rise to losses or accumulation over several years.
FIVE NEW DISTRICTS SERVED IN 2019
As announced last year, BIXI will begin serving five new districts by April 2019, namely Lachine, Saint-Laurent, Montréal-Nord, Anjou and Saint-Léonard. This expansion will represent more than 60 new stations, 2,625 new bike docks, and 1,000 additional bikes, all of which will be in service by next spring. BIXI is currently working in partnership with the districts to finalise the locations of these new stations.
A LONG-TERM VISION SERVING GROWING DEMAND
For Ms. Farley, "BIXI is extremely popular with its users, as shown in a recent survey that found 95% of them were happy with the service. What's more, by expanding into new districts, BIXI-Montreal will be able to meet the expectations of people in Montreal who also want to use the service. With its mission of furthering the growth of bike travel as part of the modal transport solution in Greater Montreal, BIXI is now a key component of the strategy to promote active modes of transport that will lower greenhouse gas emissions and enhance quality of life".
It should be noted that Montreal currently boasts the third biggest bike-sharing network in North America, and is a recognised world-leader in the field. Since being launched in Montreal in 2008, 1.3m Bixists have made more than 38 million journeys using the service.
In another ten years' time, following this major growth trend, the service is set to include 912 stations in Montreal – 383 more stations than in 2018 – in addition to stations in Westmount and Longueuil. Almost 10,800 bikes will be in circulation by then, some 4,670 more than last year. BIXI will also add 9,700 bike docks to optimise the way bikes are spread across the network, an increase of 80% on 2018.
In the years to come, BIXI will be continuing its drive for innovation so that it can deliver a service that meets user expectations. It will be supported in this endeavour by the City of Montreal and partner companies dedicated to improving urban mobility, like our partner/presenter, Manuvie.
CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS
In recent years, BIXI Montreal has launched a number of initiatives that have successfully fulfilled the needs of its users. Indeed, with the Opus card and our smart stations launched in 2017, Montreal became the first city in North America to install a payment system that incorporates both public transport and bike sharing. In 2018, this system recorded outstanding growth in usage, up 243% on the previous year. Other successful products launched in 2018 as a result of this drive for innovation include the new concessionary rate for students and seniors aged 65+.
MANUVIE RENEWS PARTNERSHIP CONTRACT
Manuvie is taking advantage of the occasion to announce the renewal of its contract with BIXI-Montreal, for a fourth year as partner/presenter.
Richard Payette, President and CEO of Manuvie Quebec, had this to say: "We are proud to extend our commitment to BIXI-Montreal. One of our top priorities is the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits, and the popularity of this communal, active, and sustainable mode of transport is a chance for Manuvie to drive this message home. Our partnership with BIXI is a clear demonstration of how we are making a difference to the way people live in Montreal, and we are determined to help BIXI users get the most from an active, healthy lifestyle. What's more, we are delighted to keep presenting free BIXI Sundays, as well as the Manuvie Valets programme. We still have a few surprises in store, which we will be revealing to you at the start of the BIXI season in 2019".
ABOUT BIXI MONTREAL
BIXI MONTREAL is a non-profit organization created by the City of Montreal to manage Montreal's bike sharing system. In 2018, the network boasted 6,250 bikes and 540 stations throughout Montreal, as well as in Longueuil and Westmount.
SOURCE BIXI Montréal
Press Contact: Bérengère Thériault, C: 514 999-6493, [email protected]
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