Houston Bike Share program to close June 30 because it can't sustain itself, city says
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Apparent financial troubles have prompted a popular bike-share system in Houston to shut down.
The video above is from a previous report: City prevents Houston BCycle bike share program from closing by approving $540K from general fund
Houston Bike Share program BCycle announced it will stop operating on June 30, just over two weeks away.
This will conclude the city's contract with the bike-sharing system, which officials say has been "unable to sustain itself on fees and sponsorships alone."
The program started in 2012 and gained popularity over time with help from the City of Houston, funding from a federal Transportation Improvement Program grant, and support from other public and private partnerships. In 2020, BCycle saw an increase of 50,000 rides over the previous year.
"Despite combined efforts of the Houston Bike Share board of directors, partner agencies, and advocates, the program could not overcome its financial challenges," the city said in a statement, adding that $500,000 had been approved by councilmembers shortly after the program had plans to shut down in 2023. The money helped it operate over a nine-month period while it looked for other funding opportunities.
The city said it will work on removing stations and bikes over the next couple of months.
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7 things you should know about Houston BCycle
