Santa Monica’s bike sharing program, Breeze Bike Share, is now offering founding membership registration. A system test using seven selected stations or “hub” locations will launch on Aug. 13 for about six weeks.
A full system launch is planned for early November with all 500 bikes spread across 75 locations citywide. A small number of additional hubs are also planned in neighboring Venice.
Become a Breeze Bike Share Founding Member for only $99 and you will receive:
— A full year of bike share starting from the full-system launch date, including 60 minutes of daily use.
— An exclusive invitation to our Breeze launch party in November
— A special Breeze Founding Member gift packet
— A chance to participate in the system test at no extra charge (limited to the first 100)
— A limited edition Breeze Founding Membership Card
— Bragging rights amongst your friends
Santa Monica’s Breeze Bike Share will be the first major bike share program to operate in the Los Angeles region.
The program will give residents and visitors a new, affordable and fun way to Breeze around town and connect to transit. The flexibility of the system’s “smart bike” technology will make it possible for users to bike anywhere in the city, as well as to some neighboring parts of Los Angeles.
Breeze launches following a multi-year process of acquiring funding, studying equipment alternatives, and learning from other cities about bike share best practices.
“In these dog days of summer, we all long for a Breeze, and this week Santa Monica has one for you,” says Santa Monica Mayor Kevin McKeown. “Santa Monica’s new bike share system will make it easy to hop a bike for a quick one-way trip on the spur of the moment, and then grab another bike whenever you’re ready. Breeze will be a big part of our overall sustainability strategy. It will be fun, and we expect it will be a popular success with Santa Monicans and visitors alike.”
Modeled after successful bike share programs in other cities, Santa Monica’s system will provide 24/7 access to bikes around the city, with hubs located a short walk from commercial and residential areas to provide access to all. The founding membership rate of $99 for a full year (past the system-wide launch date) costs less than $9/month.
Program information and founding member registration is at http://www.santamonicabikeshare.com.
.
Federal funding for the bike share equipment was provided through Metro, with additional funding from the South Coast AQMD. The City of Santa Monica will oversee the program and CycleHop, a private bike share company, will be responsible for daily operations. Social Bicycles (SoBi) is providing the equipment and technology.
