Opera&onal Issue: Proper Balancing and Distribu4on of Bicycles during peak usage 4mes
Jamie Graziano, Dawn Markovics, Shyam Vijayaraghavan , Prabhdeep Saimbhi, Jeremy S. Pomp
History of Bicycle Sharing Systems ‐ Earliest community bicycle program in Amsterdam ‐ Within a month, most of the bikes had been stolen and the rest were found in nearby canals
1960’s
‐ La Rochelle, France launched a free bike program ‐ Regarded as one of the first successful bike sharing programs.
1974 1995
‐ Copenhagen’s ByCyklen, was the first large‐scale urban city bike share program featuring specially‐ designed bikes
2008
‐ Washington DC’s first bike share program, DCSmartBikes was launched
2010 Background
About CBS
‐ Capital Bikeshare (CBS) replaced DC SmartBikes ‐ When complete, CBS will be the world largest bikeshare network.
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
Capital Bikeshare Company Profile Opera&ons
Facts & Numbers ‐ 4,800 annual members & 400 monthly ‐ Largest bike sharing service in the U.S. ‐ 1,100 bicycles and 110 Sta4ons
‐ Began September 20, 2010 ‐ Bicycle distribu4on managed by Alta ‐ Rou4ne bicycle maintenance
System ‐ Solar Powered and Wirelessly connected sta4ons ‐ Real Time Smart phone app ‐ Bixi is supplier of bike Sta4on ‐ Installa4on costs = $6.8M
Background
About CBS
Bikes ‐ 3 gears ‐ Twin red taillights ‐ Strobe‐like headlights ‐ All lights powered by fric4on
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
Pricing
Membership Fee
Usage Fees
24‐hour
$5
0‐30 minutes
FREE
30‐day
$25
31‐60 minutes
+$1.50
Annual
$75
61‐90 minutes
+$3.00
Each addi4onal 30 minutes
+$6.00
Background
About CBS
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
Problem Statement
Flow of traffic is uneven, causing an imbalance in the number of bicycles across various sta&ons. This has a nega&ve impact on customer sa&sfac&on.
Background
About CBS
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
Analysis Should Take Place on a Block‐by‐Block Basis to determine Over and Under U4lized Sta4ons
A
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
B C
Preliminary Findings Indicate that Blocks E3, E4 and F3 may have the worst demand cycle fluctua>ons
D E F G H I J K Background
About CBS
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
In Block F3, Bike Usage Data for 3 Days in October Was Available for Analysis for 3 Sta4ons 3 3 Sta>ons • 19th & E St. NW • 20th & E St. NW • Virginia Ave. & 21st NW F
Background
About CBS
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
Analysis Should Take Place on a Block‐by‐Block Basis to determine Over and Under U4lized Sta4ons The Bike Sta>on at Virginia Ave and 21st Street Reaches Capacity in what appears to be a cyclical basis…
…Meanwhile The Bike Sta>on at 20th & E Street is Only at 40% Capacity During Peak Hours
10 8 6 4 2 0
Background
20th & E Street NW Bicycle Usage (Capacity = 15) Number of Bicycles
Number of Bicycles
Virginia Ave & 21st Street Bicycle Usage (Capacity = 11)
About CBS
15 10 5 0
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
While Virginia Ave Appears to Reach Maximum Capacity on a Cyclical Basis, A Sta4on 3 Blocks Away Has Excess Capacity Certain blocks (and sta>ons within those blocks) experience varying degrees of u>liza>on Rates.
3
Current Measures in Place Rely Solely on 4 Trucks to Redistribute Bikes Throughout the City (Opera>ng 12 Hours per Day/ 6 Days Per Week)
F
Background
About CBS
The Problem
Analysis
Implementa4on
By Implemen4ng a Live Points System, Capital Bikeshare Can Diffuse Capacity Constraints Across Sta4ons Solu&on
Tac&c
Constraints
Ancillary benefits / costs
SR Viability?
Add Capacity
Increase exis4ng, Manned Sta4on, Mobile sta4on
Capital, Labor, Land, Lower capacity R&D, Time u4liza4on
N
Shorten Supply Chain
Maintenance / corral rooms downtown
Capital, Overhead, Time
Lower capacity u4liza4on, overcomes traffic
N
Subcontract
Formal (Bus or bike messengers), Informal (opportunists)
Quality control, Infrastructure, Marginal costs
Inconsistent, traffic issues
N
Incen4ves (A) “credits” for unpopular Solware, Marginal routes costs, Live analysis
Revenue reduc4on, Inconsistent
Y
Incen4ves (B) Live/Real‐Time Points system
Live analysis, solware or labor
Ad Revenue from Corp. Sponsors, Inconsistent
Y
The Problem
Analysis
Background
About CBS
Implementa4on
Real Time Points System: 1) Diffuse Capacity Constraints 2) Increase Customer Sa4sfac4on 3) Increase Revenue
reward points Points
Gil
Ad Revenue
100
$20
$20
200
$50
$50
300
$75
$75
400
$125
$125
Background
The Problem
Analysis
Conclusion
Implementa4on
Thank you! • Chris Eatough, BikeArlington Program Manager • Euan Fisk, Alta Bicycle Share • Lance Schine, Chief Informa4on Officer, District Department of Transporta4on • ScoW Kubly, Director of Progressive Transporta4on Services Administra4on, District Department of Transporta4on
Images