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Bicycle rental program launched in May on the streets of Washington

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Travel Articles >> City Travel Travel Articles >> Locations >> North America >> USA >> Washington

To invent a bike once again seems to be impossible, but to make it's rental "clever" - is quite real: the "Smart Bike" program has started in Washington.

120 bikes will be engaged at the starting phase. Each of them can be rented at 10 specially equipped parkings in the central streets of the city. The "mind" of the iron horses - is the automated control system, registering the usage time of the two-wheeled transport.

"The city streets are overcrowded and the introduction of such program could help to reduce the traffic jams and the air pollution",- Jim Sebastian, the coordinator of the "bike and walking program" of the Washington transport bureau.

For 40 dollars per year the owners of the member cards will be able to use the three-speed bike daily during 3 hours. If the usage time will exceed the stated limit for more than 48 hours, the bike is considered lost and the current owner will have to pay 200 dollars.

The city novelty has aroused great interest among the advertisers, that place the information about their goods and services on the bikes. The funds that appear after the advertising space has been sold reduces the payment for the bikers. So, the car becomes not only the less ecologic, but also less economic means of transport in comparison to the bike.

This is the first program of such type in USA. But such projects are already realized in several European cities. So, for example, similar systems in Paris and Barcelona are already functional about a year and now have several thousands bikes in the traffic. The authors of the Washington program hope that they will be able to offer a thousand of bikes already after the first year.

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Article Submitted On: May 3, 2008