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Expanding CBN BikeShare

Image - Parked bicycles

The Toronto Christian Resource Centre (TCRC) is a charitable organization that delivers a variety of projects and programs to low-income and disadvantaged persons in the City of Toronto. Programs include a food co-op, social housing, community gardening and community support. Each program improves the quality of life of its recipients.

The Community Bicycle Network (CBN) is a project of the TCRC celebrating 10 successful years in founding, leading and supporting an impressive number of sustainable transportation programs and services. One of the most successful CBN programs is BikeShare, a community bike-lending program that registered over 800 members in its first three years of operation in Toronto.

What are they doing?

This project expands the BikeShare program and encourages more people to cycle, an alternative mode of transportation.

CBN is working to further promote healthy living and urban quality of life through their BikeShare program. CBN BikeShare makes distinctive yellow bicycles accessible at low cost throughout the City of Toronto.

The TCRC will expand and improve the BikeShare program by:

  • Working with City of Toronto staff to improve intermodal connections between transit and BikeShare;
  • Increasing accessibility to BikeShare in community centres serving disadvantaged and emerging communities;
  • Increasing BikeShare membership and increasing the number of Bikeshare hubs to get more people riding bikes more often;
  • Redesigning the BikeShare on-line database; and,
  • Promoting BikeShare and cycling as an integral part of Toronto's mobility system.

What did the project accomplish?

With the support of MOST and other project partners, BikeShare expanded the program to two new community centres, increased its fleet size, expanded membership, and developed a new database to track the location of the bikes, member status and activity and hub activity. Notable results include:

  • 18 "hubs" allowing members to access bikes now operational at community centres around Toronto
  • BikeShare membership expanded to 900 Extensive print, TV and radio coverage
  • Distinctive yellow bikes are widely recognized throughout Toronto
  • Bikes now have front basket information panels
  • Strong partnerships with current 'hub' operators
  • Growing relationship with GO Transit and Toronto Transit Commission
  • New database tracks the location of the bikes, member status and activity and hub activity
  • 16% increase in use of the program over 2003
  • An estimated 50,260 km was traveled by BikeShare bikes resulting in the following reductions:
    • CO2 = at least 15,583 kg
    • NOX = at least 22,667 kg
    • CO = at least 283,333 kg

Where can you find more information?

Image - Community bicycle network logo

Date modified:
2010-02-03