Bike Share Possibly Coming To Secaucus

SECAUCUS, NJ — The town of Secaucus is exploring whether starting a town bike share would be a good idea, similar to the bike shares already in place in New York City, Jersey City, Hoboken and even Bayonne.

About two weeks ago, Secaucus was approached by John Kelly of JerseyBike Share. His company already operates the bike share programs in Hoboken, Bayonne, Guttenberg, North Bergen, Weehawken and West New York, as well as Woodbridge, New Jersey and Point Pleasant on the Jersey Shore. In Hudson County alone, JerseyBike Share currently has about 900 bikes up and running.

Stations in Secaucus are still being discussed, but locations proposed include near Hudson Bread at Xchange, at the ice rink in the center of town, at Secaucus Junction train station and one near the rec center in the North End. You would be able to take out a bike with a credit or debit card and then return it to another bike share location in town.

In neighboring towns, such as Hoboken, the bike shares are sponsored by companies such as ZipCar, CarePoint Health, Bijou Properties and Investors Bank, among others. In Secaucus, local businesses could advertise on the bikes as sponsors.

The prices are proposed as follows:

Pay-as-you go $2 plus tax for one 30-minute trip. Each additional 30 minutes will be $3.

Monthly membership are $12.95 per month for an unlimited number of 45-minute trips. Each additional 30 minutes will be $3.

Annual membership is $95 plus tax, for unlimited 45-minute trips. Each additional 30 minutes will be $3.

This would be done at no cost to the town, Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli said, and he and Secaucus Business Administrator Gary Jeffas seemed enthusiastic about the idea, although it is still in exploratory stages.

Both Jeffas and Gonnelli dismissed the idea that cycling on busy Secaucus roadways might be dangerous.

"I used to ride my bike all over Secaucus as a kid," said Jeffas. "That's how I got around."

"It would really be great for the residents at Xchange," said Mayor Gonnelli. "Many of them really don't have cars and they could bike to the train station and back, or into town."