MEADVILLE — Crawford Area Transportation Authority passengers may have two-wheel ride options next year.
The authority, which provides public bus service in Crawford and Venango counties, plans to roll out a bike share service in Meadville next spring.
Bike share programs offer bicycles for rent by the hour. Larger cities, including Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Cleveland, have programs operated by private companies, nonprofits or the cities themselves.
There's no reason that smaller cities and transportation authorities can't get on board, CATA General Manager Timothy Geibel said.
"It's been more prevalent in larger urban areas, but based on our surveys and the conversations we've had, I believe a small deployment in the city of Meadville would be successful," Geibel said.
"As the public transportation provider for Crawford County, we're trying to enhance mobility options for people in the community and a bike share program could be a very strong fit," he said.
Geibel began looking into bike share programs in earnest last summer and had hoped to start a limited program this spring. The coronavirus put those plans on hold, he said.
The authority now plans to begin limited bike share service next spring and to expand the service to make 15 to 20 bikes available at up to nine locations in Meadville next summer.
"We want to try to implement a small project in the spring and see if it's manageable and if it's well received in the community," Geibel said. "I believe there's a lot of potential to grow and expand it."
Riders would download an app on their phones to find bike locations and enter a credit card to rent and unlock a bike. The app also would lock the bike once it's returned to a bike share station.
Possible station locations include Diamond Park, Meadville Market House, Allegheny College, Ernst Trail, Meadville Area Recreation Center, CATA's office on Pine Street and Bicentennial Park, according to potential riders.
CATA is surveying the public about interest in the bike share service and possible station locations at www.catabus.org.
Geibel has been browsing bicycles and considering technology and station options.
"We're looking at a couple vendors and technology solutions and hopefully will be making decisions this fall based primarily on the grants we're applying for and the community partnerships that we're building," Geibel said.
CATA is asking local businesses to consider supporting the program.
The bike share service won't be the first of its kind in Meadville. Allegheny College has a bike share program for its campus community.
The Crawford County Conservation District launched a free bike share program at the Woodcock Creek Nature Center north of the city in 2016. The program is curbed this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"The nature center is not open and there might be problems keeping the bikes clean," said Kathy Uglow, environmental education specialist at the nature center.
Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com.
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