City taking over bike share program

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The city of Greenville is taking over the operations of B-cycle later this year. The bike share program began in 2013 as a partnership of Upstate Forever and Greenville Health System, now Prisma Health-Upstate, and has grown to 10 stations and 50 bikes. 

“We are proud that we have been able to offer the community a bike-sharing option for more than six years with nearly 24,000 rides taken and 11,000 unique users,” Andrea Cooper, Upstate Forever executive director, said in a news release. “However, in light of our strategic plan and current direction, and as a matter of natural succession, it is time for us to give up the reins as Greenville’s ‘bike-share operator.’ As an organization with a primary mission of land and water protection, it is critical that we focus our resources and time on goals and initiatives most directly aimed at accomplishing that mission. We are pleased that the city has agreed to assume program operations and look forward to B-cycle’s continued success.”

According to Greenville B-cycle staff, more than half of all rides taken using Greenville B-cycle have been made by Greenville County residents. Ridership has steadily risen as the program has expanded from its size of six stations at launch, with ridership peaking during the last several years, the release said.