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Toronto Bike Share

The docking and undocking is not a deal-breaker, and I do frequently take out the same bike immediately after docking, there's no 5-minute wait like there used to be (at least when using the app). It's really more just the inconvenience and extra trip time added, which seems more unnecessary than anything. I don't think the extra 15 min will lead to more unavailability of bikes, or people not using them for point-to-point travel. I just find so many trips for me and friends who have used frequently are falling more into the 30 - 45 min range, especially with the expanded network. I wouldn't mind paying an extra annual fee for 45 min or 60 min free ride time, the $99 yearly is already a great deal, maybe like an extra $20 or something.
 
unforgettableid said:
The point of asking you to stop by a station every 29 minutes is to make sure that you actually still need the bike. If people could just tap a "Renew" button on their phone every 29 minutes, they could bike from Yonge and Eglinton to Cedarvale Park, and then they could keep a bike for hours while sitting and talking with friends. They'd just keep on renewing the bike unnecessarily.

If the city did allow renewals when not at a station, they might choose to only allow a small number of renewals per user per week — and only south of Bloor, where bikes are plentiful. But overage revenue would still decrease. Membership and pass revenue might not increase enough to compensate for this.

Bike shortages in north Toronto are occasionally a real problem. A user-assisted rebalancing incentive program might help, at least somewhat. Lyft runs its Amis Bixi and Bike Angels programs, in Montreal, New York, Boston, and elsewhere. Bicycle Transit Systems Inc. runs the similar IndeHero program in Philadelphia. But there's no analogous program in Toronto.
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An extra 15 minutes of time isn't going to suddenly see people lounging around with bikes not using them all over the city.

I'm not asking for renewals, just a longer time before docking again. Most rides are under 30 minutes but some aren't. The fast way from my office to home is about 15 minutes, but sometimes I like to take the "long" way along the lake, which is just under 30 mins. Stop to take in the lake view for a few mins and suddenly i'm over time. Having a 45 minute time would just make longer trips more relaxing, still nobody is going to be storing bikes in their shed or something.
 
unforgettableid said:
I almost always reuse the exact same bike I was using. It works. It's quicker, and it may be safer during the pandemic. I think there might be a time-delay rule — you might have to wait 5 or 10 seconds between docking and requesting an unlock — but you can definitely dock and unlock the exact same bike.
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Thanks for the info! I realized the other day it was just a case of a slight delay in the app/system after docking a bike. After docking, I saw the time counter on my phone continuing to count the time for 5-10 seconds after docking. This definitely saves me time using the same bike as I've started to stuff my bag into the compartment up front with the bungee cord. Being able to re-use a EVO seat is really great too.
 
Councillor Bradford's Newsletter reveals the locations for his ward. Note, none of these are yet installed.

  • Woodbine Ave / O'Connor Dr at 1500 Woodbine Ave
  • Victoria Park Ave / Danforth Ave at 3060 Danforth Ave
  • Lumsden Ave / Eastdale Ave at 110 Eastdale Ave
  • O'Connor Dr / Curity Ave at 850 O'Connor Dr
  • St Columbus Pl / St Clair Ave E at 2715 St Clair Ave E
  • Dawes Rd / Taylor Creek Trl at 260 Dawes Rd
  • Kingston Rd / Beech Ave at 841 Kingston Rd
  • Fairmount Park at 1725 Gerrard St E
Overall, a very good list.

Striking to me, are the absence of the following

1) Dawes and Victoria Park, the the City owns a parkette and there is ample room and located at the top of the Dawes Road Bike Lanes.
2) Woodbine and Lumsden, adjacent to the Woodbine Bike lanes and features a large'ish traffic island with ample room for a station.
3) Taylor Creek Park at any intermediate location between Dawes Road and the next dock within the valley at Pottery Road.
In the case of the latter, logical offerings would be the parking at Stan Wadlow, or at the DVP end of Taylor Creek Park, or the Charles Sauriol Conservation Reserve, or at the Beechwood access point.

Its a real improvement nonetheless; but so far from complete coverage of this area, still.
 
So I actually had a good reason to use the Bike Share yesterday which is a rarity for me because I don't live downtown.

I took one of the bikes from the new stations near Yonge and Eglinton and headed to my destination downtown. I just managed to park the bike at the 29m45s mark without realizing I was cutting it so close.

I definitely see a strong cause for extending the period from 30 minutes to 45 minutes as the Bike Share extends its range further and further from downtown, where trips are no longer just "short".
 
So far, light day for new Stations, I will update if applicable.

Alvin Ave / St Clair Ave E
Glenora Ave / Vaughn Rd
Flanders St / Eglinton Ave W (almost at Eglinton West Stn.)
Hillsdale Ave W / Yonge St
Glebe Rd W / Yonge St
 
salsa said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1275069696493023233
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Denzil Minnen-Wong needs to take a hike as clearly oblivious to everything in life. Obviously there are going to be a large group of stations that are highly profitable, while others are essentially subsidized by the highly profitable ones. Just because Toronto Bike Share is under the umbrella of the TPA, doesnt mean it's going to generate a profit like its parent organization.

But that thought obviously flew over his head since he doesnt comprehend semi-complex affairs. Why did Tory pick him as a deputy mayor again?
 
Amare said:
Denzil Minnen-Wong needs to take a hike as clearly oblivious to everything in life. Obviously there are going to be a large group of stations that are highly profitable, while others are essentially subsidized by the highly profitable ones. Just because Toronto Bike Share is under the umbrella of the TPA, doesnt mean it's going to generate a profit like its parent organization.

But that thought obviously flew over his head since he doesnt comprehend semi-complex affairs. Why did Tory pick him as a deputy mayor again?
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Exactly this. Anytime anyone tries to convince you that John Tory is some grand conciliatory figure who puts rational thought above ideological politics, remind them that he appointed DMW and Stephen Holyday as his deputy mayors and installed the former as Vice Chair of his Exec Committee, and that this is the kind of shit you get from these folks.
 
I generally do like John Tory, but I didn't vote for him in 2018 for precisely those reasons. When delegated responsibilities fall to those like Stephen Holyday and DMW who cannot see the forest for the trees, and are simultaneously penny wise but pound foolish with the public sphere, true city building cannot take place.

I don't think it's a factor that anyone in his natural base would consider come election time except for those who are entangled in municipal affairs, unfortunately.
 
Six new Stations today

Eglinton/Scarlett ( @Towered ) how does that one work for ya?
Pond/Sentinel
Sentinel Finch/Hydro Corridor
Finch West Stn
Dufferin and Finch Bike Trail
G. Ross Lord Park

Service has arrived at York U!
 
Judging by the map, I think there was more expansion than just along the Finch Hydro Corridor (which btw certainly spices up the map). I am seeing more stations in Etobicoke along Royal York and on the other side of the Humber near The Queensway.
 
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