The Social Bicycle System (SoBi) is a public bike share system that uses GPS, mobile communications, and a secure lock that can attach to almost any bicycle and lock to any regular bike rack.
A bike-sharing program has seemed all but inevitable, and here it comes. This fall, a New York-based company called SoBi will try its hand at the type of program popularized by other countries successful systems like the London Cycle Hire Scheme.
What is SoBi?
SoBi will be the first public bike share system with the authorization, tracking, and security systems attached to the bicycle itself. SoBi uses GPS, mobile communications, and a secure lock that can attach to almost any bicycle and lock to any regular bike rack. The system does not require separate infrastructure and can be deployed at approximately one-third the cost of existing systems. Administrators will be given powerful tools to manage demand and map patterns of use. Users will enjoy door-to-door transportation and an interactive cycling experience that can track miles traveled, calories burned, CO2 emissions offset, and connections to other Social Cyclists.
With the lockbox, as opposed to the typical docking station, expectant riders will be able to reserve a bike remotely on the company’s website using a cell phone or other mobile device. SoBi — short for “social biking” — will then use the GPS system mounted on each bike to provide a map showing all the available bikes in the area. All a rider has to do is walk up to the lonely bike, type in an access code and —voilà — the lock box unlocks, and the rider bikes off into the enviro-friendly sunset.
The fault in other programs is that sometimes it is hard finding an available bike at a rental point. By the end of the day, bikes end up in only a few locations and need to be transported back to rental points so that they are evenly scattered around cities. For New York City resident and founder of Social Bicycle System (SoBi) Ryan Rzepecki, is eliminating that aspect through wireless technology. It may be the key to revolutionizing how cities, colleges and corporate campuses run social bicycle share programs. The Social Bicycle System (SoBi) uses wireless technology to enhance personal mobility.
This system will be more affordable and scalable than existing bike share systems and can be deployed in a wider range of settings – small cities, universities, and even corporate campuses. SoBi will allow a user to find and unlock bikes using a mobile phone and provide a viable public transportation alternative.
The SoBi team is currently prototyping the lock box design which, we will test in New York City this fall.
SoBi was entered into the Copenhagen Bike Share Design Competition in December of 2009. The project is a semi-finalist in the Innovation Erie Competition and is also competing in the Systems category of The Earth Awards.
For more information, visit SoBi.
Source: SoBi
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