1 year of Citi Bikes: 8.75 million trips, 100 accidents, 0 fatalities

[Photo today on East 4th Street by Derek Berg]

Turns out that the Citi Bike program hasn't been the death trap that some pundits predicted, according to Citi Bike.

The other day at Slate, Will Oremus took a one-year anniversary look at the program, with some number crunching provided by Citi Bike.

“Out of 8.75 million trips, we’ve had about 100 crash reports, of which about 25 warranted a trip to the ER,” Citi Bike spokeswoman Dani Simon told me. “To my knowledge there have been zero fatalities to date. I am keeping up my daily prayers that this trend continues.”

Meanwhile, the program has had its financial challenges. For instance, The Real Deal reported that Citi Bike owes NYC $1 million in parking revenue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Full week one observations: No, really — how is the Citi Bike bike share doing?

And we're off: 1st Citi Bikes spotted in the wild; world doesn't end

East 4th Street Citi Bike docking station now 'From a Different Perspective'

[Last Monday morning via Derek Berg]

Last Monday morning, workers temporarily removed the Citi Bike docking station on East Fourth Street just west of Second Avenue ... to make way for a street mural courtesy of DOT Art and the Fourth Arts Block (FAB).

The docking station returned this morning...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

And here is the final product with the bikes back in place...


[Photo of FAB's programs coordinator, Tyler S. Bugg, via FAB's Facebook page]

The mural, titled "From a Different Perspective," was created by Herb Smith and curated by FAB's Public Art Director, Keith Schweitzer.

[Updated] Temporarily packing up the Citi Bike docking station on East 4th Street

Crews this morning removed the Citi Bike docking station on East Fourth Street just west of Second Avenue. This is temporary, per EVG contributor Derek Berg, who took these photos...



Apparently East Fourth Street here between Second Avenue and the Bowery will be resurfaced sometime soon ... (though we didn't spot it scheduled yet on the DOT website...) will be getting a street mural courtesy of DOT Art and the Fourth Arts Block.

Here's more about the program:

In collaboration with New York Cares and the DOT Bike Share Program, DOT Art beautifies asphalt around Citi Bike stations with colorful designs. … The first project took place in August 2013 at the Franklin Street station between West Broadway and Varick Street in Manhattan.

[Via Dot Art]

Later today, Derek spotted someone putting down an undercoat…





And if you are looking to either get or return a Citi Bike... Second Avenue and East Second Street might be a good option.

Shot of the day

Removing graffiti from the docking station on St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue earlier today.

Photo by EVG contributor Derek Berg

Citi Bike testing new ways to boost memberships

EVG reader Dave from 2nd Ave. spotted this enhancement to the Citi Bikes docking station this morning on East 11th Street and Second Avenue.

Report: Citi Bike needs 'tens of millions of dollars'

[EVG file photo]

From the Post today:

Citi Bike honchos need tens of millions of dollars to save the struggling bicycle-share program — but Mayor de Blasio said Friday that it won’t come from the wallets of New York City taxpayers.

DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said that she’s confident Citi Bike would resolve its problems and even expand.

“We all know Citi Bike has been tremendously popular with New Yorkers,” she said. “But there have been significant financial and operational issues, including redistribution of bikes to where the riders are and technology issues.”

The Wall Street Journal has more on all this "tens of millions of dollars" business here.

In January, Bixi — the Montreal nonprofit company that developed the technology that powers the Citi Bike program — filed for bankruptcy protection.

Citi Bike launched here last May.

Noted

Avenue A between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street. Perhaps there was a soft landing?

Photo by Doug Quint

A new design for Citi Bikes?

EVG reader Mark Smith spotted this today at the Citi Bike docking station on East Fifth Street at Avenue C … a new spring-look for the bikes? A rogue Citi Bike artist? What is going on…?

The Citi Bike blog has the answer:

For the first time, a handful of Citi Bikes will shed their iconic blue for a springtime hue. In celebration of Armory Arts Week, ten Citi Bikes will don artwork created by The Armory Show‘s 2014 commissioned artist, Xu Zhen. While eight of the special bikes circulate in the Citi Bike system, two will be on display at The Armory Show, at Pier 94, through Sunday, March 9.

Citi Bike snow removal

[Tuesday night on Lafayette via EVG reader 8E]

Have you wondered who shovels out the docking stations for the Citi Bikes? (If no, then you don't need to keep reading!)

EVG contributor Derek Berg spotted workers clearing the station on East Fourth Street and Second Avenue this morning ... they work for DynaServ out in Maspeth.

Now you know!

Report: The company that powers Citi Bike has filed for bankruptcy

Just a super quick post … picking this up from Gizmodo tonight:

Bixi — the Montreal nonprofit company that developed the technology that powers New York City's eight-month-old CitiBike program — filed for bankruptcy protection today, after it emerged that cities including New York and Chicago were withholding payments to the company. Could the news affect CitiBike? Maybe — but not just yet.

Uh-oh!

Head over to Gizmodo for the whole story.

It was all fun and games until...

Spotted: 5 #santacon Santas wobbly cycling CitiBikes in the snow. Headed south on 1st Ave. Be afraid. #eastvillage @evgrieve

— Adele (@missy__m) December 14, 2013

More Citi Bike docking stations for East 10th Street

This afternoon, crews are adding more docking stations to the existing Citi Bikes hub on East 10th Street along Tompkins Square Park, EVG reader John reports... He figures there will be 16-20 more bikes now.... which, among other things, will allow more opportunities to do the stationary workout along here.

Noted

From The New York Times today on the Citi Bikes bike-rental program:

As of Monday, though, after more than five months and five million trips, none of the program’s riders have been killed on the bikes. About two dozen injuries, most of them minor, have been reported.

Last year, according to the city’s Transportation Department, 18 cyclists were killed in car crashes from January through October, compared with 10 so far this year, though citywide, cyclist injuries have remained consistent. There was one cyclist death this year in the neighborhoods served by the bike-share program, in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, though the cyclist was not riding a Citi Bike. Over the same period last year, there were two bike deaths in these areas.

And while sidewalk cyclists, red-light-running cyclists and “salmoning” cyclists — those who ride against traffic — remain a daily scourge for many New York pedestrians, no one has been killed by a cyclist in the city since 2009.

There is apparently only 1 amenity worth mentioning for this E. 7th St. studio

Here's a fine looking studio now for rent ($1,750) at 17 E. Seventh St. Close to Cooper Union. The Astor Place subway entrance. McSorley's. And there are likely things about the studio to tout. Freshly buffed floors? But per the listing... there's only one thing apparently worth noting...

Immaculate studio in the heart of Greenwich Village. 2 Blocks from Astor Place and subway. CitiBike station right across the street. Available for Dec. 1st but an earlier move in can be accommodated. $50 application fee. 15% broker fee.

But "in the heart of Greenwich Village"? Haha! Fools! Everyone knows that this is Midtown South!

Bloomberg: The Citi Bike program isn't profitable yet, but you should be happy

[This morning at 13th and A]

Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday that the Citi Bike program hasn't turned a profit yet some six months after the bike-rental program launched.

Per the Post:

“It is, I think, better than anybody had anticipated in terms of usage,” Bloomberg said during a press conference at the Department of Transportation.

“It’s a way to commute, it’s a mass-transit system that requires no federal, state or city monies whatsoever.”

And!

The program is run in conjunction with NYC Bike Share, a subsidiary of Alta Bicycle Share, which designs and manages the massive system of docking stations.

“If they make money, we’re going to share in the profits,” Bloomberg said.

“So, you know, everybody should be happy with this.”

Business opportunity available

Wonder when they're gonna start scalping CitiBike parking spaces in the East Village. Just spent 5 minutes circling around in the rain.

— ryan sutton (@qualityrye) October 18, 2013

Previously on EV Grieve:
Docking blues: Doing the 'checking-all-of-the-Citi Bike-stations dance' (43 comments)

Noted

A bikenapped Citi Bike on East 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B? Photo by EVG reader Philipp.

Because we have not posted a photo of an abandoned Citi Bike in 2 months

@nyev_eliza spotted this along East 13th Street this morning...

Meanwhile, back on Aug. 9...

Today in videos lampooning Citi Bikes

Posted last Thursday by the folks at Above Average. And filmed in the East Village.

May have been funnier (or more relevant!) back in, say, early June.

Still...

H/T THE NOTORIOUS L.I.B.E.R.A.T.I.O.N.

This morning in East Village docking stations without any Citi Bikes

We've heard from a few people who mentioned that several docking stations around the East Village were without any actual Citi Bikes, like the one on East Seventh Street at Avenue A shown at (gulp) 6:18 a.m. (The bike in the photo was out of commission.)

Others mentioned an unusual lack of bikes for the morning hour, when people may be needing them, at 13th and A, Ninth and C, and Second and B.

Meanwhile, a little after 10, a truck toting a stash of Citi Bikes pulled up to Seventh and A ... where there were two immediate takers for bikes...


[Photo by Derek Berg]