There is a reason why we run all wiring 3′ off the ground.
Not all cities have to deal with flooding, however this is something to consider for some locations.
There is a method to the design by the SandVault Group!
“Forget lugging a helmet around in case you fancy an impromptu ride when, or if, Vancouver gets a bike share system.
The city – set to decide later this spring whether to launch a bike share system with preferred vendor Portland-based Alta Bicycle Share – paid $50,000 to Richmond-based SandVault Group Global Solutions Corp. to develop a prototype of a bike helmet distribution machine.
In just 41 days after the city awarded SandVault the contract in November, it built a noggin-protecting prototype that it showed off to Metro on Thursday.
SandVault’s helmet dispensing machine. (Metro/Jennifer Gauthier)
Using the solar powered machine was as easy as swiping a card, selecting a size and style on a keypad and removing a helmet from a dispenser that’s integrated with a bike system.
“If you want to wear a helmet, there’s a helmet right there,” business development manager Derrick Moennick said. “It should be as easy as possible.”
The helmets are equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags so when users drop them off they are “quarantined” and not rented out until they are cleaned and checked for safety. Maintenance crews would sanitize the helmets as part of the system’s operating cost, which the city has previously pegged at about $1.9 million annually.
In Melbourne, the city’s helmet law led to lukewarm adoption of its bike share system, as helmets there must be purchased at retail locations or from vending machines. Alta told Metro in June it was working on an integrated system to avoid the mistakes made in Australia.
While Vancouver awarded the prototype contract to SandVault, it is still exploring various options and suppliers for helmet distribution, according to director of transportation Jerry Dobrovolny.
SandVault, which operates the world’s only non-subsidized bike share at tourist hotspot Miami Beach, applied to operate Vancouver’s bike share system but lost to Alta.
The company also built systems in Long Beach, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Golden, B.C. and will soon launch one in Sao Paulo. Its technology is still operational after Hurricane Sandy slammed into the N.Y. operations.
“It’s important for government to support local industries that employ people and produce exports,” company owner Richard Murray said.” – Metronews.ca
For any US City thinking about exploring public bike share systems, below is great information and one of the best places to start.
http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/Informal_Q_and_As_Final_6-14-12.pdf
Washington DC doesn’t have to contend with the software issues, as they’re system uses the older proven core technology. Will San Diego launch before San Fransisco, Chicago and New York?
Are you interested in receiving our public bike share newsletter, or information on public bike share equipment?
If so, please send me a quick e-mail: derrick@sandvault.com
vote on public bike share vendors.
Let the people decide!
During the presentation in September with the Mayor of San Diego, the Mayor asked the participants to fill out a survey on the three public bike share solutions present, SandVaults bike share equipment and Deco’s / Rugged bike share cycle were there and up for the challenge.
Well, I guess the results speak for itself! Congratulations to Deco Bike and to the City of San Diego.
Great Information on Public Bike Share Systems in the United States (Sept 2012):
http://publicbikeshare.com/community/
There is a new kid on the public bike share block.
Bike Nation will be deploying systems in:
Anaheim, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Long Beach, CA
Read more here: http://wp.bikenationusa.com/bike-nation-and-the-city-of-long-beach-announce-plans-for-bike-sharing-program/
