Divvy

Divvy
Overview
Owner City of Chicago
Locale Chicago, IL, U.S.
Transit type Bicycle sharing system
Number of stations 476[1]
Daily ridership 13,000 (Sep 2014) [2]
Annual ridership 3,200,000 (Feb 2016)[3]
Website divvybikes.com
Operation
Began operation June 28, 2013
Operator(s) Motivate
Number of vehicles 4760 Bixi bikes
Divvy installation at Pritzker Park
Dearborn & Washington Divvy Station, Chicago Loop.

Divvy is a bicycle sharing system located in the City of Chicago operated by Motivate for the Chicago Department of Transportation. It operates with 5837 bicycles at 576 stations in an area bounded by 75th Street on the south, Central Street in Evanston on the north, Lake Michigan on the east, and Pulaski Road on the west.[1] Bikes and docking stations are supplied by PBSC Urban Solutions.[4]

History

In 2007, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley visited Paris, France, where he personally tested out their Vélib' bicycle sharing system and was "greatly impressed".[5] He determined that a similar system would work well in Chicago.[6] After returning from his European trip, Mayor Daley requested proposals from private partners to create a bike share system for Chicago. Two potential operators came forward, but submitted plans that would have been too expensive for the city to fund.[7]

In May 2012, the City of Chicago awarded Alta Bicycle Share (acquired by Bikeshare Holdings LLC in 2014 and renamed to Motivate[8]) a contract for "The Purchase, Installation, and Operation of a Bicycle Sharing System".[9]

On June 28, 2013, Divvy launched with 750 bikes at 75 stations operating in an area spanning from the Loop north to Berwyn Ave, west to Kedzie Ave, and south to 59th St.[10][11] A planned expansion to the current number of stations in Spring 2014 was delayed to 2015 due to supply shortages.[12]

Unionization - Transport Workers' Union Local 100

In October 2014, TWU (Transport Workers' Union) Local 100 of New York City filed an election petition with the NLRB seeking to represent "almost 70 full-time and part-time workers, including mechanics and truck drivers, who are paid $12 to $16 an hour." [13]

The unionization effort came after employees of CitiBike in NYC, owned by the same parent company Motivate (formerly Alta Bicycle Share), joined TWU Local 100 in September 2014 [14] and alongside similar efforts by employees of Motivate (formerly Alta Bicycle Share) in Boston (Hubway) [15] and Washington, DC (Capital Bikeshare).[16]

Branding

The name Divvy is a playful reference to sharing (“divvy it up”). Divvy’s light-blue color palette and six-pointed stars evoke the Chicago flag. The double Vs in the Divvy logo refer to the shared-lane markers painted on bike lanes throughout the city, and are a nod to how the city prioritizes bike safety, paving the way for new riders.

The naming, logo and brand strategy for Chicago’s new bike share program was developed through a partnership between the global design firm IDEO and the Chicago brand strategy studio Firebelly Design. IDEO led the research, conceptual brand development, and naming phase of the project; Firebelly team led the designing of the identity, the system of communication pieces and developed the brand guidelines.

The bikes

The bicycles are utility bicycles with a unisex step-through frame that provides a lower center of gravity and ease of access to a wide range of heights. All bikes are painted "Chicago blue", with the exception of one "unicorn bike": a bright red bike, dubbed #Divvyred.[17]

The one-piece aluminum frame and handlebars conceal cables in an effort to protect them from vandalism and inclement weather. The heavy-duty tires are designed to be puncture-resistant and are filled with nitrogen to maintain proper inflation pressure longer.[18] Front and rear flashing LED lights are integrated into the frame, which weighs approximately 40 lb (18 kg). Divvy bikes have three speeds, a bell, and a front rack. The bikes are designed by industrial designer Michel Dallaire and built in the Saguenay, Quebec region by Cycles Devinci, with aluminum provided by Rio Tinto Alcan.[19]

Through the end of October 2014, the Chicago Blackhawks are partnering with Divvy to release 5 black and red Blackhawks design bikes.[20]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "BIGGER. BROADER. BLUER.". http://divvybikes.tumblr.com/. Retrieved 23 June 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  2. ↑ "New Divvy Data Now Available!". divvybikes.tumblr.com. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Divvy Data Reveals Our Most Popular Destinations of 2015". Divvy: Chicago's newest transit system. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  4. ↑ RedEye. "Divvy may test-drive helmet vending machines at stations". redeyechicago.com. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  5. ↑ "Chicago eyes Paris self-service bike scheme". AFP. 11 September 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "Paris' Popular Bike Program May Inspire Others". NPR. 15 September 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Doster, Adam (26 April 2013). "What Chicago Can Learn From Other Cities' Bike-Sharing Programs". Chicago Magazine. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  8. ↑ "Bikeshare Holdings LLC Signs Agreement to Acquire Alta Bicycle Share". http://www.motivateco.com/. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  9. ↑ "Contract 26459 Details". City of Chicago. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "Chicago Welcomes Divvy Bike Sharing System". Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "City's Bike Sharing Program Launches Today". Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  12. ↑ Weissmann, Dan. "Bike-sharing's big problem: missing bikes". Marketplace. American Public Media. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  13. ↑ http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-divvy-union-1104-biz-20141103-story.html
  14. ↑ http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/10/14/hubway-should-extend-good-efforts-its-own-employees/pA8zRhKA3AI75AwcC6GWJL/story.html#comments
  15. ↑ http://www.boston.com/business/news/2014/10/06/hubway-workers-seeking-union-representation/Nk9Y2nrjQlUOsbddW4AQnM/story.html
  16. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/10/24/d-c-bikeshare-workers-look-to-unionize-and-build-a-nationwide-bikeshare-powerhouse/
  17. ↑ Byrne, John (1 August 2013). "Chicago's 'unicorn': new red Divvy bicycle". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  18. ↑ Fisher, Jennifer (13 August 2013). "Divvy Bike Sharing May Come to Evanston". Evanston Patch. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  19. ↑ "Rio Tinto Alcan and BIXI: a partnership on a roll" (Press release). Rio Tinto Alcan. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
  20. ↑

External links

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