Missing Docking Station

[chris_s]

Looks like you spotted it even before Cabi could tweet it.

https://twitter.com/bikeshare/status/613379582075498498

[S. Arlington Observer]

@chris_s 118779 wrote:

Looks like you spotted it even before Cabi could tweet it.

https://twitter.com/bikeshare/status/613379582075498498

a) I’m not on twitter and b) since that is an obvious commuting point (at a Metro station) they could probably have done a better job of advising on the change. A tweet at 9:14 is a little late for the morning commute. But not harm done. I found it and now we know.

[chris_s]

@S. Arlington Observer 118784 wrote:

a) I’m not on twitter and b) since that is an obvious commuting point (at a Metro station) they could probably have done a better job of advising on the change. A tweet at 9:14 is a little late for the morning commute. But not harm done. I found it and now we know.

The question is, how SHOULD Cabi publicize these moves? I for one would unsubscribe rather than get an e-mail with every temporary station move in the system (there are quite a few). You could only notify people who have used that station in the last X days, but that leaves only catches regular commuters not occasional users. This same issues affects bus riders whose stops get moved for construction, a much more long-standing problem and not one I’ve seen a great solution to.

[scoot]

Good question.

At the very least, they should put up a sign at the usual dock location telling people where the station has been temporarily relocated to. If the usual location is itself off-limits due to the construction, there should be signs wherever the edge of the construction area meets an approaching road. Same thing for bus stops. For either mode, there are lots of users who aren’t online continuously.

[mstone]

I find myself giggling that the idea of putting up a “sign” is less obvious than tweeting.

[PotomacCyclist]

While there may not have been a notice about CaBi specifically, there have been many signs and online newsletters and announcements about the construction at 18th St. and S. Clark/Bell St., which started today. It’s part of the Interim Multimodal center and conversion of Bell/Clark to two-way traffic. I think the 18th St. work is supposed to start first and continue into the fall. Then the crews will work on the intersection and on Clark/Bell St. into next year. Or maybe I misread the announcements.

[scoot]

@mstone 118808 wrote:

I find myself giggling that the idea of putting up a “sign” is less obvious than tweeting.

I suppose it’s also an indication that my flip phone and I are rapidly becoming obsolete around these parts

[Tim Kelley]

@S. Arlington Observer 118773 wrote:

A CABI dock station simply disappearing like that was not an expected event. So now I guess I’ll add that to the list of things that “might happen” on a given commuting day.

Your comments have been heard and have been passed along to the appropriate people.

We have Top Men working on it.

[Henry]

@scoot 118819 wrote:

I suppose it’s also an indication that my flip phone and I are rapidly becoming obsolete around these parts

The SpotCycle App is up-to-date with the current location, too.

As it was explained to me when I joined the team, one of the reasons these moves are not tweeted ahead of time is that as often as not, planned moves do not happen as planned. We could say “X Station to move before the AM rush tomorrow” only to have the crew show up and be blocked by some moving crane or who knows what. Thus the SOP is to post the change as soon as we can after it’s actually happened.

We got the email at 9:08am, tweet went out at 9:14am. Spotcycle updated approx 9:35am.

[S. Arlington Observer]

I actually wasn’t all that upset about it since I found the new location within a few moments on my own. In fact, I was more amused about my mental state upon arriving as usual and not knowing what to make of the missing station. (“Did I take wrong turn?” “Am I losing my mind?” “This is the right place… surely I didn’t imagine that a station was here every other day…? etc.) I am over 55 so that was a bit of a concern.

I do think a sign saying something like “Notice – This docking location will be moved within the same block soon to accommodate construction” a short period before the planned move would have been helpful. That does not tie down a specific time but alerts regular users of what is to come. There was no “pre-warning” sign as of last week. Also, a sign near the old site (construction permitting) directing one to the new location would be helpful.

I am all for high tech communications but there is nothing wrong with a low tech sign — or perhaps a notice at the top of the Capital Bikeshare webpage. I really don’t want a twitter account and don’t see why it should be mandatory when a simple sign will also work.

[S. Arlington Observer]

@Tim Kelley 118820 wrote:

Your comments have been heard and have been passed along to the appropriate people.

We have Top Men working on it.

I appreciate that.

[PotomacCyclist]

These guys?

[Author]

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