www.tommywells.org - DC to Launch Bicycle Rental Program

Looking to take a weekend bike ride but don't have the bike? Looking to find a way to avoid jumping in the car and fighting the traffic by riding a bike to meet-up with friends across town (or down the street) but you're still lacking a set of wheels?

Smart Bikes (photo credit: Clear Channel Outdoors)

DDOT is considering an automated bicycle rental system in DC in partnership with Clear Channel. Similar to car sharing, the system would allow members to swipe a card and release a bike from a kiosk (DDOT says to think of it as kind of like an airport luggage carts -- but better).

According to DDOT, Clear Channel is operating similar systems in Europe, and this would become the first of its kind in the Northeast U.S.

DDOT is requesting that residents take a short survey to solicit locations for the rental kiosks (several possibilities are in Ward 6). The proposed contract will allow for 120 bikes at 10 kiosks. Officials cite research and experience indicating that the kiosks should be located near each other, and they are limiting the system to the greater downtown area. DDOT has shared these other items to consider regarding locations:

- Locks will not be provided by the system, so cyclists can only park the smartbikes kiosks
- Because of the web-based registration and member card requirement, the system is not geared toward tourists
- Each kiosk is roughly 30 feet by 6 feet, considerable space, but we will scope out the exact site
- Locations with lots of jobs, housing, retail, major attractions, and nearby bike facilities are obviously best.

DDOT has reviewed census data, discussed locations internally and at at the bicycle advisory council meeting, and have some initial ideas, but they want to include as much public input as possible. Please take a minute to respond to the survey at this link. It's only 3 questions!

Let us know where you'd like to see a bicycle rental kiosk in your neighborhood! There's only going to be 10 in the first round, so make you speak up and help select the locations you want. If you've got any questions about this program, please contact Jim Sebastian, DDOT's Bicycle Manager, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Readers have left 14 comments.

(1) Untitled
2007-06-13 16:19:11

This is great news!

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Written by Kyle Walton ()

(2) Untitled
2007-06-14 09:21:41

Even better news for bicycle theives. My cars and motorcycles get stolen more frequently than the seasons change in DC. The police have zero interest in investigating thefts, The only thing this is going to do is give a bunch of bicycles to hoods. Nice idea .. I'm sure it would work in world-class cities like Vancouver or Amsterdam, but until someone figures out a way to make Americans play nice, it's just going to be frustrating for people who would like to rent bicycles and wasteful for the people investing in it. The donors are better off heading down to SE (where my cars and motorcycles always end up) and handing out money.

Written by Guest User ()

(3) Untitled
2007-06-19 09:47:55

Ah cynicism, the best cure for everything. Bravo!

I too feel that shiny objects attract too much attention from those who are out to do mischief. However, I still applaud the sentiment and the effort to make the city a 'world-class' environment. I think that's better than just projecting one's own misfortune onto something that could be really great.

Written by Guest User ()

(4) Untitled
2007-07-21 17:04:44

it is a great idea, and no great idea would ever move forward if the generators always focused on the obstacles to success.

Written by Guest User ()

(5) Untitled
2007-07-23 19:10:20

It's an interesting idea that will work even better if major cities pool resources and allow travelers to use their local accounts out-of-town. I'd also, for selfish reasons, like to see true comfort bikes available for rent, like Townies, with the forward pedal geometry for people with bad knees.

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Written by occasional visitor ()

(6) Untitled
2007-08-10 13:20:05

I love this idea. These bikes were all over Paris when we were there this summer.

Written by Guest User ()

(7) Untitled
2007-09-10 16:42:35

Rental Bicycles in a major city like Washington D.C. would work even better if D.C. makes bicycle safety a top priority. By this, I suggest DC put all of its street on a road diet. Eliminate on-street parking by turning those parking lanes into bike lanes with bollards to prevent cars from illegally parking or blocking the bicycle lanes. Then all bicyclists would feel much safer bicycling through the city and they would not be inconvenienced by inconsiderate or irate motorists. Bicycle lanes would also make pedestrians feel safer walking by on the sidewalks. Plus, it would make the city more attractive to diners and tourists.

Written by Jesse ()

(8) Untitled
2007-09-10 23:15:51

Ok, so why would they be stolen? They are secured in a locked device and released by people who have previously signed up, like Flexcar. If they disappear under your watch they charge the renter. At what point in this process do you think they would be stolen ... ?

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Written by Rob ()

(9) Untitled
2007-09-12 15:21:28

I think it's a great idea especially for people who toake the metro as their primary source of transportation. On those hot summer days, they can grab a bike to get where they need to go. For THOSE who think the bikes are just something else for "Hoods from SE" to steal, kids, who are usually stealing the cars, don't want to steal bikes, they want to steal cars. I doubt very seriously a thief would steal a bike quicker than a car. Besides, in order to get the bike, you have to pay for it and I dont think a thief wants to pay for a bike ride. That defeats the purpose of stealing it. TO the writer who made that comment, you said cars and motorcycles as in plural, which means more than 1. Whose to say you're not paying a "SE hood" to steal your precious merchandise so you can collect insurance money? Funny how your vehicles ALWAYS end up in SE.

Written by Guest User ()

(10) Untitled
2007-10-31 16:54:57

Perfect! The only way to change things is to try. I've been advocating bike racks at metro stations. Both of these would be great.

Written by Guest User ()

(11) Untitled
2007-12-28 12:29:35

This is great! I am really surprised that something like this is going to happen. I thought it would be at least another 10 years before DC's gov't would approve expenditure on such a marvelous idea.

Thought: Make your Metro SmarTrip card the "key" that releases your rental from the bike kiosk. Most folks who use the metrorail/buses in the city already own one, and you won't be clogging wallets up (or keychains) with another RFID card or key fob.

I think it sucks that the renter would be responsible if the bike was stolen, as I don't think the kiosks will be centrally located enough so that patrons can easily lock a bike of at a kiosk and still perform their errand/task without hoofing it. Perhaps for a few bucks more per month in the rental plan renters could purchase theft insurance?

The locations I always seem to wish I had a bike are places that have a metrorail stop (like Farragut Square and Adams Morgan-Zoo)), but no vehicular way to get to nearby neighborhoods (Georgetown and 18th & Columbia respectively) without taking unreliable/packed/slow buses. This is double true on the weekends!

It would be great to have a kiosk in GTown as well as Adams Morgan (18th & Columbia, specifically) since both of these areas fit the high auto traffic with no metrorail station bill. Plus, they both have residential neighborhoods spilling off of them that aren't connected by metrorail. I'd love to be able to take the metrorail to the adams morgan metro station and then hop on a rental bike to get to several of my favorite restaurants near 18 and Florida. Also, it would be great to take the metro to Farragut West and hop on a bike to ride down M street and then hook a right into the Burleith neighborhood/glover park to visit friends and run errands.

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Written by Ryan M. ()

(12) Untitled
2008-03-16 12:17:47

I bike twice as many miles as I drive. Nice idea, but . . .

1. How do you expect 10 locations to work? What if there were only 10 locations to park your car? Do you think that would encourage people to drive?

2. The police must recognize the right of bicycles to use the roads, and that means that drivers need to go to jail, pay heavy fines, etc. when the hit, injure, or kill a cyclist--rather than getting an "OK" when they say "I didn't see it." (This is not just a DC problem.) Every accident involving a cyclist should be investigated by a bicycle policeman.

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Written by Randy in DC ()

(13) Untitled
2009-09-16 13:23:48

Does anyone know how well the city bike rental is going, since the launch?

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Written by Guest User ()

(14) Untitled
2010-04-27 17:55:57

this idea is outstanding. we're gonna be taxed on it anyway,and it would be for our pleasure and HEALTH.speaking of health,remember we will be paying more for insurance to help the economy ,right.So,why not stay healthy and ride the bikes. If placed at convient locations we people have no choice. And the tourist will end up handling about 30% taxes on that. locations ie: all metro stations,(even ones in va&md cuz Metro is raising the taxes so yes them too.) then 7miles apart,throught out the city.

Written by Guest User ()