Montreal unveils ambitious bike-rental program
23.09.2008 20:07
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- Source: cbc.ca
 Cyclists stop at a bicycle station in Paris, in August. Paris City Hall launched its bicycle service in July, with more than 10,600 posted at 750 stations all over the city.(Michael Sawyer/Associated Press)Montreal introduced a new self-service, bike-rental system on Sunday modelled after the highly successful Vlib' program in Paris. So far there are only 40 of the bicycles available — the city calls them BIXIs, a mix of bicycle and taxi — but the plan is to have 2,400 BIXIs in service by next spring. In Paris, the Vlib' service provides more than 10,000 bicycles. "It's not for long trips. You ride it and you return it, and [for] the first half hour there's no charge," Mayor Grald Tremblay said Sunday. "We sincerely believe that a lot of citizens who are not presently commuting with a bicycle will use the bicycles," he said. The service will cost $28 a month, or $78 for seven months. Users can buy a day pass for $5. Montrealer Michel Gourdeau won an online contest to name the bike service. "Well, I'm a user of bicycles myself, and I thought it would be a good idea to participate and try to find a name that is special," he said. Gourdeau felt BIXI had "a nice international feel to it." The city will deploy a squad of BIXI experts to explain how to use the rental service over the next few months. When it's fully in service there will be 300 BIXI stations around the city where the bicycles can be rented or returned. The $15-million system is being paid for by Stationnement de Montreal, the company that manages the city's on-street parking. It hopes to recoup its investment through the membership fees. The bikes are designed entirely in Quebec, and are made of 100 per cent recyclable aluminum. The bike parking stations are powered by solar energy. With files from the Canadian PressConsumer HeadlinesWinnipeg homeowner wins 3-year insurance battleA Winnipeg family is relieved at being able to close the door on a three-year battle with their insurance broker over a flooded basement that cost them $35,000 to repair.Imported instant coffees recalled over melamineThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency is advising people not to consume three imported instant coffee products because they may contain melamine.U.S. cracks down on eyewash and skin creamFederal officials in the U.S. launched a crackdown Tuesday against several companies that market a surgical eyewash and a widely used skin cream without government approval, saying these prescription medications could pose risks.Dawson's 'ethical gold' catches eye of BirksA mine in the Yukon's Klondike region is touting itself as the first in the world to offer ethically-sourced gold, catching the attention of major jewelry retailers like Birks.GPS devices vulnerable to 'spoofing,' researchers sayGPS devices can be fooled into registering phoney co-ordinates by a rogue transmitter, despite systems meant to circumvent such tampering, say Cornell University researchers. Consumer Life FeaturesMOBILE COMPUTINGUltraportablesNew netbooks: Handy, cheap and lightQUIRKS & QUARKSCarbon quizTest yourself on Canada's greenhouse gas emissionsSAFETYRecalls and Advisories- Health products
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