| BikeMi | |
|---|---|
| Info | |
| Locale | Milan, Italy |
| Transit type | Bicycle sharing system |
| Number of stations | 120 |
| Daily ridership | 5,000 |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 8 December 2008 |
| Operator(s) | Clear Channel ATM |
| Number of vehicles | 1,400 |
BikeMi is a public bicycle sharing system in Milan, Italy. It was launched on 8 December 2008 and is contracted to and operated by Clear Channel on the basis of its SmartBike system.[1] The scheme encompasses more than 1,400 bicycles[2] and 120 stations.[3][4]
The service is active from 7am to midnight and has about 5,000 users a day, with a record of 5,451 on 9 September 2011.[3]
The system is based on 1-day, 1-week or 1-year subscriptions, which allows users to rent a bike. Rentals are free for the first 30 minutes. After that time, in order not to pay more, the bike has to be returned in a station. However, unlimited number of rentals are allowed in a day. The scheme is similar to the Vélib' one. There are at present more than 12,000 users with an annual subscription.
Prices range from €2.50 for a 1-day subscription to €36 for the annual one. An additional fare of €0.50 per half-hour is charged for rentals exceeding 30 minutes and not longer than further 2 hours. After that time a €2.00 per hour fine applies.[5]
The system is planned to grow to 200 stations and almost 3000 bikes by the end of 2012, although the expansion is currently on hold due to lack of funds.[6]