Sobi Hamilton

Social Bicycles Hamilton (commonly abbreviated SoBi Hamilton) is a bicycle sharing system located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It consists of 825 bicycles at 129 hubs located in the Downtown, Westdale, and Dundas areas of the city.

Social Bicycles Hamilton
Overview
LocaleHamilton, Ontario
Transit typeBicycle sharing system
Number of stations129
Websitehamilton.socialbicycles.com
Operation
Began operationMarch 1, 2015
Operator(s)Hamilton Bike Share Inc.
Number of vehicles825

The system has been operated by Hamilton Bike Share Inc, a local non-profit corporation, using equipment developed by New York-based Social Bicycles Inc.[1]

Due to financial problems, the system closed down on June 1, 2020,[2] but it has since reopened.

History

In December 2013, the City of Hamilton approved the implementation of a bicycle share system, with start-up costs covered by a $1.6 million grant from Metrolinx.[3] The system officially launched on March 20, 2015, though a limited system of 200 bicycles had already been operating since January 2015.[4] The service has been terminated, effective June 1, 2020.[5]

An expansion completed in late 2017, "Everyone Rides Initiative", added 12 more hubs, 75 more bikes, and a new system of discounted memberships for low-income residents.[6] In June 2019, the firm added a tricycle to its fleet.[7]

In 2020 Uber backed out of their contract with the City of Hamilton, despite being under contract through February 2021.[8] On May 28, after 14 hours in session, Hamilton city council decided to store all the bikes and equipment instead of funding the system's continued operation.[9] Later on, the system reopened.

References
  1. "SoBi Hamilton". Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  2. Craggs, Samantha (May 28, 2020). "Hamilton council votes not to fund bike share program, will store the bikes instead". CBC News. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  3. Craggs, Samantha (December 2, 2013). "Hamilton spending $1.6M on new bike share program". CBC News. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  4. Carter, Adam (January 16, 2015). "Hamilton bike share rolls out first bikes Friday". CBC News. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  5. Craggs, Samantha (May 28, 2020). "Hamilton council votes not to fund bike share program, will store the bikes instead". CBC News. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  6. "'Everyone Rides Initiative' adds 12 new SoBi bike hubs in Hamilton". CHCH-DT. July 27, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  7. Taekema, Dan (June 22, 2019). "'I'm a cyclist': SoBi adds trike to help people enjoy the freedom of biking". CBC News. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  8. Craggs, Samantha (May 21, 2020). "'SoBi users want the program to continue in Hamilton, no matter who runs it'". CBC News. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  9. Craggs, Samantha (May 28, 2020). "Hamilton council votes not to fund bike share program, will store the bikes instead". CBC News. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
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