Long-awaited RVA Bike Share program ready to roll August 29th, city announces

Richmond’s long-awaited bike share service, dubbed the RVA Bike Share, is finally getting wheels.

Mayor Levar Stoney will launch the program on Tuesday, August 29th at 9:00 AM at Kanawha Plaza and lead cyclists on a two-mile ride from across the Manchester Bridge to the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge, ending at Browns Island.

The city teamed up with Canadian company Bewegen Technologies Inc. to supply the bicycles and docking stations. The equipment will be maintained by Corps Logistics, a Baltimore-based firm.

The initial phase includes 220 eight-speed bikes and 20 docking stations located throughout the city. A second phase is expected to be implemented in the coming months, doubling the fleet and including electric assist PedElec bikes, making it easier to ride uphill. These high-tech bicycles will be equipped with a color screen, live GPS, and can be unlocked through a mobile app.

Map of the 17 stations around Richmond.

Here’s how it all works. All you need to do is buy a one-time, monthly, or annual pass, head to one of the 17 bike share stations located throughout the city, and unlock your bike. The first 45 minutes of each ride are included in your base fare; it’s $3.00 per half hour after that. Then simply return your bike to any docking station in the city.

One-time passes are $1.75. $18.00 gets you unlimited rides monthly; $96.00 gives you access for an entire year.

“Bike sharing programs are a community transportation service and desired amenity provided by forward thinking and environmentally conscious cities,” said Mayor Stoney. “I am proud Richmond is now among those leading in this regard.”

The RVA Bike Share is a public-private initiative, and Mayor Stoney has encouraged Richmond’s corporate and business leaders to engage in sponsorship opportunities necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program.

Plans for RVA Bike Share have been in the works since 2012 and were made possible in part by a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant totaling just over $1 million, distributed in 2014. Just over $280,000 in capital improvement funds were also made available by the city for the project.

Learn more about the program, find the station closest to you, buy passes, and more on the RVA Bike Share website here.