Bike Sharing Comes To Far South Side With Dockless Pilot Program

CHICAGO, IL — Bike sharing has at long last come to the city's Southwest Side, and here riders won't even need a dock to drop their bike off when they are through using it. That's part of the plan of the Chicago Dockless Bikeshare Pilot Program, which launched Tuesday morning and will run through the end of October in many areas of the South Side that aren't currently served by the Divvy bike sharing program that requires bicycles to be returned to docks located throughout the city.

Limebike, a California-based bike sharing company that operates in several cities and college campuses nationwide, debuted the service in the Chicago's Beverly neighborhood Tuesday morning by stationing 50 bikes outside County Fair Foods on Western Avenue. The program proved popular on Day 1 as by 5 p.m. only one bike remained outside the grocery store, which will not be a permanent station.

"Our experiences will generate valuable data and knowledge that will ultimately shape our efforts to regulate this emerging industry," said 19th Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea, a proponent of bringing bike sharing to his neighborhood and others not served by Divvy.

So far, Limebike is the only vendor serving the 19th Ward. But any third-party bike vendor that fits certain criteria outlined by the city of Chicago will be allowed to participate in the program.

O'Shea said Uber Bike will be a second vendor serving the neighborhood beginning in the middle of this month. ofo is another company planning to deploy 50 bikes to the South Side in the coming days, committing to the city's requirement of having at least 15 percent of their bicycles in each of the four quadrants outlined by the city.

“As someone who grew up in Chicago’s South Side, I'm especially passionate about filling the persistent need for more affordable transportation options here,” said Chris Taylor, Head of ofo North America.

To use a Limebike, go to the vendor's website or install its Smartphone app to find the locations of their bikes nearby. When you find one, download the app and scan the QR code to unlock the bike. At the end of the ride, the bike can be parked anywhere "subject to the same parking requirements as a regular private bicycle," according to a city of Chicago demonstration on how to use it.

No docking station is required. If the bike is parked outside the pilot service area, vendors will have two hours to return it to the area. The service area for the pilot program includes much of the Far South Side south of 79th Street, including parts of ten city wards.

All bikes will have a locking mechanism to prevent theft.

"It's my hope that this pilot expands and we are able to provide dockless bike sharing to our residents on a permanent basis," O'Shea said.

Photo: A lone Limebike remains parked outside County Fair around 5 p.m. on Day 1 of the pilot program / Photo by Tim Moran, Patch