Madison B-cycle, the city’s bike sharing system, saw record ridership in 2014. According to Madison B-cycle’s 2014 Annual Report, out today, ridership increased by 28% over 2013. B-cycle closed their fourth season with 104,274 total trips and 39 stations in operation. More than 315 signature red bikes covered over 219,000 miles throughout the city from March 20 through December 11, 2014.
Read the full 2014 Madison B-cycle Annual Report here.
"Reaching 100,000 trips was a big milestone," said Manager, Claire Hurley. "Closing the season with over 104,000 trips is a big accomplishment for the program and for the City. Most programs our size don't see that much traffic in one year."
"It is really encouraging to see the growth in B-cycle year after year in Madison," said Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. "Bike sharing is being used by visitors able to see more of the city and by residents using the system for daily commutes. The program is helping folks get exercise and reducing traffic, a win-win!"
63% of trips in 2014 were made by annual members, most of whom are Madison residents. As in prior years, peak ridership continues to match commuter hours - 12:00-12:15pm and 4:45-5:15pm peak ride times - suggesting a regular reliance on B-cycle by users.
Madison B-cycle launched a new subscription type in 2014 where customers can pay a small fee monthly (think Netflix for bike share). Monthly auto-renew membership grants users all the benefits of annual membership with a smaller up-front cost. Sales, system data, and user surveys demonstrate a clear and growing dependence on Madison B-cycle for both transportation and recreation throughout the community.
"The community support for the program has grown considerably over the last four years," said Hurley. "The addition of stations along University Avenue and the increased commuter traffic we saw in 2014 reinforce that bike sharing is an essential transportation option in Madison."
In partnership with UW Health, UW Credit Union and Krupp General Contractors, Madison B-cycle added four new stations to the bike sharing system in 2014. The new stations connect the existing network to the near-west side of Madison, including locations at UW Health facilities and the UW Credit Union.
Madison B-cycle will reopen in March 2015 following their winter closure.