CitiBike Inaugural

[PotomacCyclist]

I hope it’s as big a success as Capital Bikeshare has been here. But I have to wonder how long it will be before a breathless reporter describes CitiBike as the first bikeshare system in the U.S. and in North America. Give it a couple years. It will happen.

[JustinW]

I assume from the way the service’s name is displayed that the service is sponsored by Citibank, yes? Has CaBi gotten any closer to being able to seek and display a sponsor?

[dbb]

Indeed. Citibank ponied up $41 million.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/nyregion/new-york-cycle-sharing-gets-a-name-citi-bike.html?_r=0

[dasgeh]

I’ve loved all the coverage in the NY Times, though I haven’t heard anything today. I take it yesterday was successful?

[Riley Casey]

New York state of mind.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2977[/ATTACH]

[PeteD]

Tried one out first hand last month.

[dasgeh]

@Riley Casey 53344 wrote:

New York state of mind.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2977[/ATTACH]

I am a little sad I have to ask this question, but where can one buy a physical New Yorker around here?

[KLizotte]

@dasgeh 53384 wrote:

I am a little sad I have to ask this question, but where can one buy a physical New Yorker around here?

Barnes and Noble should definitely have it.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@dasgeh 53384 wrote:

I am a little sad I have to ask this question, but where can one buy a physical New Yorker around here?

News shop next to the metro entrance on K and Connecticut.

[johnnyhowell]

Hi – I’ve been a CaBi member since, well, SmartbikeDC. Whatever the annual fee, there’s no added sales tax in DC.

However, my NYC Citibike fee includes 8.875% NYC sales tax

I signed up April 16th (‘founding member’), but key didn’t arrive by mail in Arlington by last Thursday, in time for me to take home to NYC for the inaugural weekend. I know they’re blaming the Post Office for the SNAFU, but my envelope however indicated that someone did not put enough postage on the envelope…more was added . . . a 2nd stamp at a later date. Anyway, was out pedalling Bklyn to lower Manhattan and saw a few in use….asked if few folks when they received their keys….”why just this Friday” was the common answer. Even though I probably wouldn’t have used Citibike on Monday, it would have been nice to have the key, just in case I wanted to.

JOHN

[johnnyhowell]

@johnnyhowell 53593 wrote:

However, my NYC Citibike fee includes 8.875% NYC sales tax

Wrong wording….not ‘includes’, rather the tax was added, making my $95 annual membership $103.43 Still that’s less than 4x subway rides.

Although when I leave DC (White House vic) to go to Union Station for Friday Amtrak trips home, CapitalBikeshare is my travel means of choice for the 1.8 mile trip (unless there are no empy docks). However, arriving at Penn Station NYC at the other end, #2 Subway is preferred choice for the 6-mile trip, and would be unlikely to Bikeshare home.

[KLizotte]

Too bad one key didn’t work for all Alta Vista systems.

[johnnyhowell]

This weekend in Brooklyn, I talked with 5 separate groups of 2, and only one of them knew that it was ‘unlimited 30 minute’ trips. The others all believed that it was a very reasonable rate for a daily rental. I encouraged these folks to go back to a kiosk and re-read and understand the true rates, as the overtime charges go to $12 per half hour relatively quickly! At least when their rage at getting a $100+ bill on their credit cards for each rental they could direct their anger at Citibank! Seriously…I think that there could be better signage indicating that these are not rental bicycles, or even directions to shops that do rent bikes for this purpose near each kiosk. JOHN

[dasgeh]

I read that annual members who didn’t get their keyfobs in time could pick them up in person in Union Square. Did you call customer service? I find the CaBi customer service to (usually) be very nice and helpful. They may help you with the tax question, too. I imagine it’s an issue of the wording of the local tax code.

I’m sure signage is a kink they’ll have to work out. Comes with the territory.

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