If you’re looking to use Fort Worth’s bicycle sharing program during the holidays, you just might be spinning your wheels.
The citywide program known as Fort Worth Bike Sharing ceased operations Nov. 26 as bikes and stations are now being removed.
But riders will be able to keep on cycling thanks to a replacement program operated by Trinity Metro, the Fort Worth-area transit agency, arriving early next year.
Trinity Metro Bikes will debut in early January with new, mostly electric bikes as well as new docking stations.
“We have been keeping our loyal customers in the loop so they’re aware of the exciting news to come,” Shawn Tubre, an avid cyclist and director of the new Trinity Metro Bikes program, said in a statement. “We’re delighted to offer an entirely new system in the coming year. New stations, new bikes, new app, better price structure and a new name — and the timing is perfect for New Year’s resolutions!”
About 90% of the Trinity Metro Bikes will be electric while the remainder will be classic bicycles for fitness-minded riders, Tubre said.
“The new system will feature both red traditional bikes and white electric bikes,” he said. “This is the perfect opportunity for providing new bikes to existing customers while also encouraging a new group of recreational cyclists and commuters to try Trinity Metro Bikes.”
Fort Worth Bike Sharing kicked off in 2013 with 300 bikes at 30 stations, but grew steadily within a decade. The system had more than 400 bikes, including electric and classic models, available to rent through day passes or long-term memberships at about 59 stations.
Ridership in the program increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as the service counted 84,073 rides in 2021 compared to 56,348 in 2019. Most stations were clustered along the Trinity Trail system, the Cultural District, Near Southside and downtown Fort Worth.
The program, which formally became a department of Trinity Metro in 2021, later integrated more than 25 stations into the system, including kiosks near Texas Christian University, Hotel Dryce, Kellis Park and the Northside TEXRail station. The program was aided by infrastructure, such as bike lanes on local roads.
A program for low-income residents that had an annual membership fee of $10 was introduced, but memberships declined in 2021, leading agency officials to find ways to improve the service.
Not everyone has been supportive of the city’s efforts to build more bike infrastructure, including bike lanes. Resident Brooke Ligon said Fort Worth should eliminate its bike lanes to add more space for vehicles.
“We are committing traffic suicide by taking away lanes of traffic for non-existent bicycle riders,” Ligon wrote in an email to the Fort Worth Report. “I am all for increasing safety for bicycles but not by creating dangerous traffic bottlenecks for motorized vehicles. Putting bicycles on heavy traffic streets is just not a safe or sane solution.”
However, longtime Fort Worth resident Jon Wilcox said he was eager to use the new bike program since he liked to ride whenever he had errands within a few miles of his home near Montgomery Plaza.
The old bike share program, he said, had several maintenance issues that included worn-out bikes, bent tires or pedals. Some electric bikes would have no charge when he tried to use them.
Wilcox said he tried to renew his annual membership earlier this year but couldn’t do so on the old app.
“I haven’t been riding since August, but I would like to be able to use the new bike program,” Wilcox said. “I will probably sign up.”
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.