Bublr Extends Its Operating Season to Year Round
For First Time, Bublr Will Stay Open In Winter Season
#BublrUWM Unicorn Bikes. Photo by Jack Fennimore.
Milwaukee (November 17, 2015) – Bublr Bikes will be open through winter for the first time this year, providing a 24/7, 365 days-a-year transit option to its 1,400 Bublr Pass holders, the majority of them University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee students, and anyone else wanting to pedal on a Milwaukee winter day.
Last year, the system shut down for winter in December and reopened mid-March.
Bublr bikes are manufactured to stand up to tough weather conditions and are checked regularly by Bublr’s bikes mechanics to ensure they are in working order. Staff will clean station equipment weekly to remove salt and grit.
“We want Bublr to be a viable transportation option for as many days as possible,” Bublr Bikes Executive Director Kevin Hardman said. “We will react very quickly to weather conditions and are able to shut down the network when the roads are not suitable for riding a Bublr Bike.”
“More and more people ride bicycles through Milwaukee winters to commute, get around or have fun,” Hardman said. “Bublr now will provide Milwaukee residents and visitors with a set of bicycle wheels they can ride all winter, not just in warmer months.”
Bublr will suspend network service during City of Milwaukee declared snow emergencies. Bublr may also suspend service for additional weather concerns at its discretion. In these cases, current Bublr Pass holders will receive an email. Bublr will notify the public via a website banner on BublrBikes.com and its social media pages. For the most up-to-date information, anyone can download the BCycle Now app to see the current status of stations in the network. The app can be downloaded at BublrBikes.com/app.
Bublr has been working with owners of property adjacent to stations to set up protocols for snow removal. Bublr Bikes will be responsible for snow removal around the stations. Two stations will be removed for the duration of winter due to agreements with the properties and the City of Milwaukee. The stations, at 411 East Wisconsin and Cathedral Square, will be reinstalled in early spring.
The weather can change quickly in Milwaukee, so Bublr is urging riders to ensure they have a backup plan if the weather is harsh. Many Bublr Bike stations are located near bus stops, and having a pre-loaded MCTS M•CARD on hand can conveniently connect riders to an alternative option. Other alternatives include Zipcar, taxi, Lyft or Uber, or if the rider needs to travel a short distance, walking.
Bike share systems in the Midwest that are open year round include Divvy in Chicago, Cincy Red Bike in Cincinnati and Pacers Bike Share in Indianapolis.
For winter riding tips from Bublr, visit http://bublrbikes.com/bublr-tips/winter-riding.
The Bublr Bikes system is a public-private partnership between the City of Milwaukee and Bublr Bikes, with additional support from many other public and private partners.
Since Summer 2014, Bublr Bikes, a Milwaukee-based not-for-profit, has launched 28 bike share stations in and around Milwaukee’s downtown in partnership with the City of Milwaukee. In the coming years, the system plans to expand to over 100 stations and 1,000 Bublr Bikes in the Milwaukee area. Bublr Bikes is actively raising private funds for continued network expansion.
Bike share programs already operate in nearly 75 North American cities, including Chicago, Denver, Des Moines, Houston, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Madison, Minneapolis, New York City and Omaha.
Information on using Bublr Bikes is available at BublrBikes.com. Bublr Bikes is on social media at: http://facebook.com/BublrBikes and https://twitter.com/BublrBikes.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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From everything I’ve seen it seems that the city pays a set fee per month for each station. What will be the added cost to the city for this year round service?
I wonder if it costs anything more or if it’s cheaper… have they been able to store the bikes for free during the winter, in the past?
It’s so pathetically sad that someone is so committed to trying to prove that a bike sharing program,of all things, is a huge waste of taxpayer money.
Vincent, we are just asking a question that wasn’t asked in this article, after all it’s our tax dollars.
Vincent, it’s a good question to ask… don’t hate. I’m sure Paul is just motivated by a quest for knowledge that yet somehow prevents him from doing any research of his own.
Also, what’s the incremental cost to keeping freeways open during January – February? I think we can all agree that we should see a detailed breakdown on the costs & benefits before we mindlessly waste money on that operation.
Tim, I am basing my comment on other stories about Bublr that he has commented on. He seems obsessed with it, and he is already convinced it is a waste of money. His question here is not sincere.
I know what you’re saying Vincent, sarcasm doesn’t come across clear in this medium… I roll my eyes at his selective skepticism as well.
Oh ha sorry about that Tim.
Tim, as I’ve said I’ve done the research that says there’s a monthly fee, have the contracts been changed with this year round service? Tim the costs of freeways being open are all ready figured in our taxes, the costs to close the freeways (your idea) would be more then keeping them open. Imagine the traffic hassles that would cause.
@Paul – What is the monthly fee? And who receives this fee? Am I understanding you correctly that the Bublr bikeshare system charges the City of Milwaukee a monthly fee for each bikeshare station?