BikeLNK BikeShare Program
Adding Dimension to Lincoln’s Transportation Options
Bikeshare has reached a level of peak popularity around the globe since its inception in the1960s with good reason - a diverse array of transportation options is crucial to the connectivity of any urban area. Like other bikeshare programs in their respective cities, BikeLNK is not only complementary to other modes of transportation, it is unique.
Cars, Buses, Scooters
While traveling via private cars provides the freedom to go anywhere, any time, the immense popularity also means congestion is high and parking can be tough. The Lincoln StarTran bus system is much easier on road congestion, the environment, and your wallet, but more limited in accessibility as you need to schedule your trip around bus stop timing and routes. The Lincoln scooter-share program, ScooterLNK, provides users the great flexibility to pick up and abandon bikes anywhere in their designated operating areas. However, they cannot be used after 11 at night, and require the program operator to redistribute the bikes from where they're abandoned.
BikeLNK, a 24/7/365 Option
While BikeLNK has a few similarities to these programs, it also adds further dimension. The first, and most obvious benefit, is BikeLNK availability throughout the day as the only 24/7/365 transportation system. For example, a college student who just finished a late-night study session at a friend's house in the Near South neighborhood, can easily grab a bike at the BikeLNK 13th & 'F' station for a 5-minute ride to their on-campus dorm, rather than a 20-minute walk.
Unlike ScooterLNK which ends at South Street in Lincoln, BikeLNK can be ridden ANYWHERE – like a day trip to Beatrice and back on a small budget. For each hour after the first allotted hour, it is $6 per hour, a small travel expense, especially if using an ebike (electric bike). E-bicycles are integrated with an electric motor, battery, and controller that assists the rider's pedaling that can shorten the time required for the trip.
While the scooters may be limited to specific areas in Lincoln, they can be abandoned anywhere in these areas. That convenience of dropping a scooter anywhere can also mean waits for availability while the scooter placements are re-balanced. BikeLNK offers 21 stations where bikes are checked out and returned to a designated station, resulting in a nearly self-balancing system, providing excellent availability, even on busy days when the BikeLNK field operation team may need to manually re-balance bikes. However, bike stations are located only in and around the downtown area.
BikeLNK Growth
While there are quite a few bike stations, BikeLNK is always looking for new station placement possibilities around Lincoln to provide even more options and availability to the Lincoln community. Earlier this year, ROAM Share CEO, Benny Foltz, ran a full 50 miles around Holmes Lake to bring attention to the potential of a lakeside bikeshare station, and the value that would bring to the community. Of course, residents in the nearby neighborhoods would be able to use the bikes to get to and from the remainder of the station map footprint. But the station's real benefit would lie in increasing access to recreation. Two of the top five stations in Omaha's bikeshare program, Heartland Bike Share, are located outside of the typical station footprint, around recreational sites like parks and lakes, demonstrating a demand for this type of bikeshare placement. So, on top of complimenting the transportation systems, BikeLNK is actively working to enhance access to recreation as well.
Lincoln’s Complementary Transportation System
Like a great team, Lincoln's transportation system is more than the sum of its parts. Each mode has its strengths and challenges, but they build off each other, resulting in the cohesive, unified, and complementary transportation network Lincolnites know today. From the car to the bus to the scooter to the bike, it's never been easier to diversify your transportation routine, and it's only getting easier every year. Try the bikeshare system today by downloading the Bcycle application from the app store on your mobile device. Find out more about BikeLNK at their website.
