WM A&P hears pitch for bike sharing business

WM A&P hears pitch for bike sharing business

Rental program could be big boon for burgeoning BRX business

news@theeveningtimes.com

As local cycling interest climbs in the Delta and the trail development emanating from West Memphis comes together, city officials learned about a way to cash in on bicycling tourism. Sara Studdard, Project Manager for Explore Bike Share presented a bicycle rental program that included opportunities for West Memphis businesses to promote themselves.

Sixty rental kiosks will open around Memphis beginning in March of 2018.

Bike sharing got its start in

The BRX completed a key link, connecting the Memphis bike route called the Green Line from Shelby Farms to Broadway in West Memphis. The river crossing development was initially called the main to main project to draw attention to the connection. A major national cycling hub is developing in West Washington D.C. in 2008 and the concept has spread to 119 cities. The Memphis based non-profit organization had exceeded $2 million in start up capital in 2016 and was awarded a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality grant for another $2.2 million this year. During the August West Memphis A& P meeting, commissioners heard the benefits of having a rental station and being included in the mapping and advertising area called a geo fence.

Studdard outlined the benefits of having a kiosk in West Memphis. The group has aimed at promoting a bike culture in Memphis.

An interactive device on the handle bars provides a means to make a bike rental, GPS location and unlocks way-finding maps, points of interest and advertising businesses along routes geared toward food, music, history, exercise or special “heat maps” of places frequently visited by other bike share riders. The geotourism information accessed on board the bike opens the door for tourists not familiar with biking in the area .

“Geotourism will provide new opportunities to use the bike share system throughout the Big River Crossing, Mud Island, Wolf River and Shelby Farms via the Mid-South Greenway and Green Line,” said Studdard.

Commissioners considered putting West Memphis on the map by acquiring a $20,000 station with 10 bikes.

The eight-speed bikes feature automatic lights, RFID, mapping, a rear rack with a lock and fat tires suitable for both road and trail riding around the Gateway City. Studdard parsed out the rental program details of how to pay, pick up, pedal and put up the RFID Dash Bikes and using the two-wheelers for marketing. The way finding app doubles as an advertising map.

“The app is bike friendly,” said Studdard. “If I am a visitor or tourist gets lost, I can put in my location and it will give me bike friendly directions. It will talk to me as well as provide really easy to read direction queues on the screen. You can check out the bike with a mobile app. You’ll see how many miles you’ve ridden and how many calories you’ve burned.”

With roll out for the bike share being set for next spring the A& P took the presentation for information to consider and did not vote for a decision to place a $20,000 station in West Memphis.

“We see a big opportunity with the Big River Crossing,” said Studdard to commissioners. “We are really excited to launch and see a wonderful opportunity to connect to West Memphis.”

By John Rech