[East 14th and 3rd Avenue this morning]
Catching up to this report in the Post yesterday:
Citi Bike is raking in millions of dollars in late fees — including from clueless tourists who don’t know the rules and annual members who constantly struggle to find a working dock, the Post has learned.
The bike-share program has collected more than $4 million in late fees since it started, with the bulk of the money coming from riders who get passes for a day or week.
Riders using short-term passes pay $4 if they go over 30 minutes, and $13 if they go over an hour.
Riders with memberships are billed $2.50 after 45 minutes and $9 after 75 minutes.
14 comments:
annnnnd here we go...
Here we go indeed. I have said.this in one of the very first post about bilking $ from the clueless, mostly tourists, but no, the defenders and its shillers deflect it and keep being delusional in saying that this is an alternative mode of transportation and it is good for the environment and it is affordable for everyone that it is even ubsidized fort those in NYCHA. Basically, what the pro Citi Bikers are saying is that, if it is good and working for ME , I see nothing wrong with it. Citi Bike is all about me! Me, me, me, don't anyone dare say anything or something bad about this alternative mode of transportation for ME!
What a ripoff It's a good thing almost none of the tourists are even using Citi🚲 which is why they keep losing money. What happened to the company that was supposed to buy them? Guess that deal is failing too.
I'm all against the branding of Citi Bikes, but if you can't figure out how to use it, that's your own fault. I used it once with a visitor: we got the app, set the timer, and docked every 30 minutes and kept going. With all info on the kiosks, the app with the locations of stations included, the timer on the app, etc etc, why are folks bitching? Everything is not a conspiracy. While I love the old East Village, some of the sky is falling whack jobs who bitch about anything and everything I don't miss.
I've had a Citibike membership since the beginning -- I just renewed it for another year -- and I have yet to accrue a single late fee. I also don't use ATMs that are not my bank's; I'm very fee-conscious.
Not everyone who accrues a late fee is clueless. I know for a fact that many people who have money go over the time limit knowing they'll pay a fee, but they don't care.
Citibike isn't the only operation that makes money from fees. Every type of rental operation makes a significant amount of money from fees. Car rentals, video rentals, you name it. Even the public library.
I guarantee* you the city makes more than $4 million dollars from parking tickets, another type of fee.
*Not a guarantee.
If you get an overage-charge and think it's undeserved (i.e. because you couldn't find a working or vacant dock, or you docked the bike and it didn't actually register as "checked-in", etc) feel free to go ahead and call Citibike - they will most likely give you your money back. I mean, they did at least for me (i.e. Me, ME, ME!!!!!). I agree with the above - if you can't can't keep track of time and you end up going over that's your own damn fault. You agreed to the rules when you checked the bike out.
Anon @ 2:14.
Word. I'm really curious what all the folks who are against the corporate sponsorship of a bike share program, would do to "fix" it. I personally hate Citibank, but if they want to share in the cost of my bike rental, so be it. Who here wants to pay twice as much for the program sans a sponsor?
Late fees? Yeah. Read the rules before renting a bike. Sorry you aren't able to think on your own or be accountable of your decisions. With all the shit going on in the world, this is what people are bitching about? White girl problems. Seems some people didn't get hugged enough growing up.
lol, fool, Citibank is not SHARING the cost, they are putting the money upfront then sitting back and cashing in on all the biking hipsters pouring money into their pockets. DUH
I'll stick with having my bike stolen each few years. It's cheaper.,,
This is one of the reasons I got out of this, the 45 minute limits make it untenable to any actual exercise or pleasure trips.
My Huffy takes me anywhere I need to, never gets a flat and is replaceable for the cost of a years membership.
Like most tourists will read the instructions, and even if they did, they won't understand it completely. Same way the college freshmen/students "read" those credit card policies or those mortgage buyers 'read' those variable rates. Citi was banking, literally and pun intended, on the late fees from the vulnerable and clueless. Good for you who understood the 'fine print'. But guess what, you're not the target customers of CitiBike, contrary to the propaganda they're spilling that this is for everyone. This a class lawsuit in the making. This is the EV of today indeed, all about me, the individual.
Something interesting here for masses - in case you think that government is ever really out to assist you you're wrong. The only thing anyone is out for who is looking to control your thoughts is $. Government wants to make you believe this it that is good for you and in your interest but the fact is they are only playing to the hand of the dollar that feeds them. You really need not look any further than 1400 Pennsylvania ave to see this in action
I don't understand how people still think Citi Bank is making money off of CitiBike. They are two different corporate entities. The bikeshare is run by NYC Bike Share LLC, which is a private-public partnership and a wholly owned subsidiary of Alta Bicycle Share.
Basically, Citi paid $41 million to put their branding on the entire system for 6 years. So, in 5 years, Citi might not go in for another 6 years. Perhaps Duane Reade could or some other large corporation that wants to pay to advertise. Citi doesn't put any more money into it (unless they want to) and the only thing they get in return from NYC Bike Share is having their brand and logo plastered everywhere on the system. As far as I know, there is no profit/loss sharing.
Be for or against the bike share but at least learn some of the facts...
@ Anon 2:14- "Sky is falling whack jobs". Good one!
Post a Comment