Getting around the region could get a little easier, but it’s not just thanks to the LRT's launch this spring.
Drop Mobility is the latest company to launch micro-mobility services on roads around the region. A bike-sharing service, it allows riders to pick up a bike, ride it to wherever they like, and leave it there.
“Users can ride the bikes for up to four hours,” explains Matthew Lumsden, operations manager for the company. “But we also have what you call a stop feature.”
That means that users can place a temporary hold on their bike to prevent someone else from riding off with it if they stop for a coffee, for example. They cost just $1 per hour.
About 100 bikes were scheduled to be available by the end of the day on Monday, a launch that was almost delayed because of the rain.
They’ll be available around the region—all you’ll need is a smart phone.
“You’ll actually be brought to a homepage, it’ll actually be a map of all the different bikes in the region,” Lumsden explains.
The grab-and-go bike system comes on the heels of electric micro-mobility scooter company Lime, which began piloting in a test area in Waterloo last year.
“The idea is that it could help complement transit ridership by helping people access their transit stops by bike,” explains Julie Belanger with the Region of Waterloo.
You'll be able to bring the bikes onto Grand River Transit vehicles as well.
Drop Mobility will operate on a one-year pilot program. Lumsden says he expects most of the usage to centre around the downtown cores, but also says they plan to launch at universities.
“We also want to have a bike that works for people regardless of where they are,” he says.
That said, the bikes are geo-fenced to ensure that they stay within the region.
The company says it will incorporate electric pedal-assisted bikes in the coming months.
