MALDEN — The numbers are in and it looks like the station-free bicycle sharing pilot program was a big hit.
The pilot program ended last Friday as impending snow approached, but not before more than 10,000 trips were taken and more than 7,000 miles pedaled in a span of the past 10 weeks.
Mayor Gary Christenson said data gleaned from the program’s number, along with comments and proposals from city officials and Malden residents will all go into the decision on whether to launch the program on a permanent basis next spring.
“What we have learned from the program is that there is indeed an interest by residents in utilizing bike sharing,” Christenson said in a statement. “Looking at the data from this pilot, we can better understand the needs of residents and balance that with the number of bikes accessible in a potential permanent program.”
Ofo and LimeBike both put their bicycles out in Malden in mid-October and each offered users a station-free biking experience. Ofo’s bright yellow bikes and LimeBike’s lime green bikes were often ridden around Malden by cyclists who paid $1 for the opportunity.
Riders of all ages jumped on the bikes and took a ride. The ride sharers’ collection of fun facts about the pilot program include an estimate that riders burned more than 200,000 calories.
Christenson said the city appreciated being involved in the citywide bike sharing pilot program, which is offered in more than 180 cities in 16 countries. Malden was the first Massachusetts community to host Ofo, which is recognized worldwide and on any given day has eight million bicycles on the streets.
The program allowed riders to ride bicycles wherever they might be located in the city. All they had to do was walk up and unlock the back tire, which reactivates after a ride once the bicycle is parked.
For a dollar an hour, riders ventured wherever they pleased and left the bicycle at the spot where they finished the ride. Malden city officials said the biggest problem was that bicycles were left in haphazard fashion, partially blocking some sidewalks and other areas.
Christenson said if the program becomes permanent in Malden, bike parking and other concerns will be addressed.
“We will discuss it, evaluate it and then decide what is best for our community,” he said.
