To be published here on May 22 at noon.

The U.S. Department of Labor has requested information from the Capital Bikeshare operator Alta Bicycle Share about compliance with federal wage guidelines.

The District, Arlington and Alexandria, the jurisdictions that own Capital Bikeshare, are following this closely.  Alta has assured Capital Bikeshare that they will provide all information requested by the Department of Labor while continuing to operate the bikeshare system.

We thank our members and users of the system for your continued support and look forward to continuing to provide an on-going first class and unchanged level of service to our customers.

(Washington, DC) Capital Bikeshare launched a new membership option today in celebration of its 4 millionth trip taken, giving occasional riders the ability to purchase a key for quicker, on-the-go access to bikes at stations throughout the District, Arlington and Alexandria. The Daily Key membership option will cost just $10 and will provide the user with the same key fob currently used by annual and monthly members.  All new Daily Key memberships will include one one-day membership.

Ideal for those using the system on an irregular basis, the Daily Key membership can be purchased online at www.capitalbikeshare.com and will allow users to pay for a One-Day membership ($7) simply by using their key to get a bike at any station.  Currently, One-Day memberships are only available for purchase with a credit or debit card at a station kiosk.

The Daily Key option is designed to reduce barriers to use, making Capital Bikeshare a more viable option for those using the system on an occasional basis, whether living locally or visiting the region frequently. In an effort to also lessen barriers to use for those purchasing One-Day and 3-Day memberships at station kiosks, Capital Bikeshare has removed the standard $101 authorization hold, which was applied to these short-term membership purchases in the past.

As the Capital Bikeshare system continues to grow, passing the 4 millionth trip mark last Wednesday, it continues to add new stations. DDOT is currently in the process of installing 54 new stations throughout the District, Arlington is adding approximately 30 new stations in 2013 and Alexandria is planning on expanding the City’s number of stations in the coming year.

Capital Bikeshare is a joint program of Arlington, the District Department of Transportation, and the City of Alexandria to bring bikesharing, public transportation using bicycles, to area residents and visitors. Launched on September 20, 2010, Capital Bikeshare is a network of docking stations and specially-built bikes. Members use an electronic key fob to check out a bike, ride to a destination served by the network, and return the bike to another docking station. For more information about Capital Bikeshare, visit www.capitalbikeshare.com.

On April 24, Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation (MCDOT) signed a contract with Alta Bicycle Share that will bring the popular Capital Bikeshare program to Montgomery County. The contract provides for equipment purchase and operating costs in two areas of the County. About 20 bike stations with 200 bikes will be installed in the Rockville and Shady Grove/Life Sciences Center area. Thirty stations with 250 bikes will be located in the Downcounty along both of the Red Line Metrorail corridors between the District of Columbia and the beltway. Areas include Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Friendship Heights, Bethesda and Medical Center.

“Bikesharing can be a cost-effective, healthy way to provide better transportation connections that reduce the need to drive for short trips, provide efficient links to transit and reduce traffic congestion. Since bikesharing is low-cost and available 24/7, it may be particularly helpful for low-income residents, many of whom hold multiple jobs and try to participate in job training programs,” said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett. “We expect the bikeshare program to significantly expand opportunities and improve the quality of life for all our residents.”

Montgomery County’s bikeshare program will operate seamlessly with other Capital Bikeshare programs throughout the region. MCDOT’s top priority is to ensure the safety of riders by locating stations in areas with safe connections to activity centers and other stations, including bike paths, bike lanes and sidewalks, or on streets that are less congested by traffic. MCDOT is working with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on locating bikeshare stations at each of the Metrorail stations in the areas to be served.

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board approved a $1.3 million Federal Transit Administration grant to Montgomery County to establish the Mid-County bikesharing program. The County’s local match for the grant is $553,000, covering some equipment and operating costs for two years. The City of Rockville is also providing $300,000 in local matching funds. Other project supporters include the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; MontgomeryWorks; Montgomery College; The Universities at Shady Grove; Johns Hopkins University, Montgomery County campus; Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce; City of Gaithersburg and the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce.

The purpose of the Mid-County program is to establish whether bikesharing is feasible in suburban centers outside a central city setting and whether bikesharing can provide a viable transportation option to low-income residents and employees.

Proposed locations for the bikeshare stations include the Rockville and Shady Grove Metro stations; Rockville Town Center; King Farm; Fallsgrove; the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center; Montgomery College, Rockville campus; The Universities at Shady Grove; and Johns Hopkins University, Montgomery County campus.

For the Downcounty bikeshare program, MCDOT received a $1,008,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation. The County also received $252,000 in private sector funding commitments to meet the requirement for local matching funds. The Downcounty system is expected to expand the reach of Metrorail and other transit; provide low-cost transportation options in the most urbanized and congested portion of Montgomery County; help get people out of their cars for short trips; and produce environmental and health benefits while enhancing economic activity.

Bikesharing provides short-term bicycle rentals at self-service, automated, solar-powered docking stations sited at publicly-accessible locations. Bikes may be picked up at one location and returned to another, creating a system that allows for one-way trips. Bikeshare is considered ideal for short trips of less than five miles. Trips under 30 minutes are included in the membership fee, while longer trips are charged based on their duration.

The Mid-County and Downcounty stations are expected to be installed by the end of the summer. More information on the region’s bikeshare system is available at www.capitalbikeshare.com.

Join us on March 28 to celebrate the opening of the newest Capital Bikeshare station at the Walter Reed Community Center on Columbia Pike in Arlington.

Arlington County Board Chair, Walter Tejada, will cut the ribbon and launch the 2013 Arlington expansion wave of 33 new stations focused on the Columbia Pike and Shirlington areas.
 
We are proud to bring red-bike joy to the Columbia Pike neighborhood, and to provide our members with new options.  For more details on the Arlington expansion, click here.

Bonus fact: This is the 200th station in the Capital Bikeshare system.  A testament to the popularity, growth and success of the system.
 
Here are the details:

Capital Bikeshare Ribbon Cutting
Thursday March 28
9am
Walter Reed Community Center
2909 16th Street, S
Arlington, VA