London, Paris and Washington, D.C., are cities that have bike-sharing systems, but one Orlando company wants Gainesville to be put on that list.
Peter Martinez, founder of SunCycles, said his company is planning to bring the idea of a bike-sharing system to Gainesville through the city commission.
Unlike other companies that have riders rent bikes from specific stations, Martinez said SunCycles will allow bikes to be rented and returned within a designated area.
He added that the drop-off and pickup locations will be listed on the company’s website.
“We want to increase cycling culture and increase parking for all bikes,” he said.
Martinez said installing regular bike-sharing stations can cost about $28,000 to $50,000. His company’s system, he said, would be a cheaper alternative.
SunCycles uses chainless bikes that have GPS trackers installed. Riders will have to register online to use a bike.
The prices range from $5 for 24-hour access to $99 for an annual access.
The membership provides bike riders with a PIN, which they punch into the bike’s built-in keypad to unlock the bike.
Martinez said he hopes the company will be in Gainesville by May 2014. The company is still waiting on an agreement with the city to park the bicycles on public land.
Gator Cycle store manager Fred Lintz said anything that gets people out on bikes is a good thing.
Sarah Elbadri, Gainesville SunCycles director of operations, said the bike-sharing stations would be placed in highly traveled areas in Gainesville, including UF’s campus.
She said the bike-sharing system could be a cheaper alternative to purchasing a bike. Elbadri said the bike-sharing system could eliminate “bicycle graveyards” on campus.
University Police Capt. Jeff Holcomb said 500 to 600 bikes are abandoned on campus each year.
