We’ve all seen foreign films, perhaps even personally been to a country, where bicycles are an integral part of the urban landscape. With gas hovering around $5 a gallon, hopping onto a bike to go from point A to point B makes even more sense. But what if you live on Donner Summit or in Reno, work in downtown Truckee, and just need a bike for lunchtime errands? What if you forget your bike, or don’t even have one, and could really use a quick pedal around town?
GreenBikesNorthTahoe is hoping to make certain iconic bicycles a fixture on the Truckee landscape. The concept of the program, based on bike share models of pre-1960s Europe, is simple: Pay a membership fee and use a ‘green bike’ whenever you need one – picking up and dropping off at various ‘node sites’ around Truckee, from Donner Lake to the Airport Business Park.
Bryan Hassemer, President of GreenBikesNorthTahoe, envisions a system where node sites (N2) will be hosted by local businesses. Each N2 will sponsor a bike rack complete with bikes and either an attendant or a web kiosk to check in/out the bikes. Within operating hours, members may use a bicycle from any N2 to get to work, run an errand or just pedal for enjoyment. According to Hassemer, the bikes will be well maintained, with baskets, locks and safety lights.
He believes that GreenBikesNorthTahoe represents a necessary shift in local transportation methods. ‘How great would it be to actually recognize your neighbor as they pass on a GreenBike instead of noticing the color of their truck,’ he says.
The program has left the station, but it’s got a few more hills to climb. ‘At this point, we’re developing a pilot project to show how the program will work,’ Hassemer says. He feels that this will prove to the community that the project is worthwhile. The first step of the pilot project is to obtain bikes. Currently, the group has five bikes. The goal is to have 20 bikes by the end of July. To reach that goal, GreenbikesNorthTahoe is co-sponsoring a bike drive at Truckee Thursday’s Brickelltown location, in conjunction with local business Fair & Green. Hassemer is looking for bicycle donations to the project, and is thankful for the support of the Brickelltown business community.
‘It’s a great idea – not everyone has a bike,’ says Heidi Baikie, owner of Fair & Green, located in Brickelltown. ‘People who live in outlying areas may not want to bring in their bike on a daily basis…or tourists that arrive on the train – the service offers a way to get around the town.’ Fair & Green plans to be one of the node sites, along with Gaunt Zimmer Design at the airport business park.
‘Bryan is a perfect fit. GreenBikeNorthTahoe is providing an opportunity for everyone. They are reusing the resources for the community. That makes it a perfect fit for us,’ says Baikie, whose store focuses on sustainable and/or fair trade goods. She also believes that Hassemer’s energy is infectious. ‘What he’s envisioning, it’s a great thing. Changing the paradigm, making people aware of other options and cutting down on road traffic.’
GreenBikes has applied for a $9,000 Civic Engagement Grant through the Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation to launch the program. At this point, this is an all-volunteer effort – none of the funding is designated for staffing.
For Hassemer, it’s also about how to incorporate the community. ‘How do we get high school students involved or people that can’t afford a bike? We’re looking for other businesses to become sponsors in developing this program in Truckee. Our goals include expansion into Tahoe City and Kings Beach, creating a way for the entire area to benefit from bike sharing.’
GreenBikesNorthTahoe’s bike drive begins July 10 at Truckee Thursday’s at Fair & Green, located in Brickelltown.
greenbikesnorthtahoe@gmail.com, 530-448-0909
Bike Sharing Around the World
Bike sharing systems are taking off around the world, with Paris’s ‘Velib’ considered one of the most successful. Portland, Oregon tried to develop a bike share program, but recently the city cancelled their search for a bike share program vendor, and may end up building their own. That’s what the city of Montreal did, becoming Canada’s first bike sharing program. The program will have over 2,400 bikes and 300 stations by the spring of 2009. Using cutting edge software technology and solar-powered docks and stations, the city of Montreal will also share how to develop a similar program with any interested city.
