Though bike sharing company Dropbike bid a nice goodbye to Âé¶čAV riders, the Drop Mobility team blamed the City of Âé¶čAV for its programâs termination.
According to a statement from Drop Mobility, who operated the Bikedrop program in Âé¶čAV for six months, a misguided framework ultimately ended to the program not wishing to continue local operations.
âWe are leaving because the regulatory framework developed by the City of Âé¶čAV stands in clear opposition to our values of building long-lasting, sustainable organization that can serve residents of the City for the long-term,â said the statement.
READ MORE: Âé¶čAV bike share services up in the air
Riders took over 35,000 trips with Bikedrop, and the company thanked the support they received from the users in Âé¶čAV.
âWe are very grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the residents of Âé¶čAV. At itâs commencement, the system was one of the largest of its kind in any Canadian city â a milestone we believe Âé¶čAV residents should be proud of.â
READ MORE: Itâs almost time to wine tour again in Âé¶čAV
Active transportation coordinator Matt Worona said that though the city has not yet laid out official changes to bike-share programs, there will be other posssibilites that will fill the gap left if Dropbike does not return to Âé¶čAV.
Changes to the cityâs bike-share program has updated bylaw changes, would allow more business competition and enable new types of vehichles like electric scooters.
âWe came with the recommendation to look at what multiple (bike-share) operators would look like,â Worona said. âWeâre trying to open the door to more services.â
He said that theyâre at the finish line with a proposal to Âé¶čAV council with updated bike-share programs.
âI think people are thinking that itâs likely a good thing that weâre trying to maximize value, expand the area, and open the door in a smart way,â said Worona.
Âé¶čAV council is expected to hear staffâs recommendations for the new bike-share program on May 6.
To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.
newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
