BUSINESS CASE

A healthy lifestyle advocacy group is aiming to build a bike sharing system within a medium size

metropolitan area. The group has signed a contract with a company to provide the bike sharing

technology and hardware (bike stations, bikes, network equipment, a server, and bike sharing software that automates the process of checking out and returning bicycles, and billing customers).

DOCKING STATIONS & BIKES

The docking station provides a limited number of bike parking spots, and is characterized by its location, bike capacity, and by real time number of bikes parked. Docking stations have computers running on them, credit card reader, and a networking module which allows it to be connected to the Internet. The fleet of bikes has also been purchased.

FUNCTIONING OF THE SYSTEM

There are two ways a user can get access to the system:

1) Using her annual subscription ($70)

2) Buying day pass ($5)

Every ride under 30 minutes is free. User is charged $1 dollar for a ride between 30 and 1 hour, 3 dollars for rides between 1 hour and 2 hours and a flat rate of 7 dollars for any ride over 2 hours. The users who haven’t returned a bike within 10 hours are billed with a $50 fine.