BOSTON, May 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pace, the nationwide dockless bike sharing service for smart cities and colleges, launched today in Austin following the city’s decision to enact “lock-to” requirements for its dockless bike share and mobility program. Pace, having pioneered lock-to technology years ago, is currently the only dockless bike share operator in Austin that complies with the city’s new regulations. Now live, Pace provides Austin with a modern, affordable, and equitable transportation option at no cost to taxpayers. Through the summer, Austin residents, students and visitors will be able to rent one of 500 Pace smart bikes available at bike racks throughout the city’s downtown core.
Beginning on August 1, 2018, providers participating in Austin’s program must guarantee lock-to technology or other means to assure bikes are always properly and securely parked. Austin follows Chicago, which became the first large U.S. city to formalize lock-to requirements in its dockless bike share pilot just weeks ago. Pace pioneered lock-to technology to help cities mitigate the bike litter, theft, and obstruction of public rights-of-way that other cities have seen with ‘free-floating’ dockless bike sharing programs.
“It’s great to see more and more city leaders committed to bringing dockless bike share to their cities in a way that keeps sidewalks safe and clear, while also preserving the beauty and aesthetics of the urban streetscape," said Tim Ericson, Chief Executive Officer for Pace’s parent, Zagster. “The U.S. dockless mobility market has clearly shifted, as the country’s largest cities like Austin and Chicago begin making lock-to core to their dockless mobility programs. We expect this trend to continue as we demonstrate how Pace delivers a better user experience and superior ridership compared to free-floating services that have resisted moving to lock-to, while mitigating the common drawbacks like bike litter, theft, and damage.”
Pace is quickly expanding its footprint as more and more cities recognize the benefits of its unique lock-to dockless bike sharing model. Since its launch in December 2017, Pace has kicked off in seven U.S. markets -- Austin, Chicago, Albuquerque, Rochester, Norfolk, Knoxville and Tallahassee -- with many more launching later this year. Ridership is accelerating across all Pace markets and consistently outperforming free-floating programs on a rides-per-bike basis.
To ride Pace, Austin residents and visitors simply download the free Pace app available in the App Store and Google Play. One tap automatically unlocks a Pace smart bike locked to a public bike rack in the city, allowing riders to get rolling in seconds. The first trip is free, and riders can choose between affordable usage-based pricing at $1 per 30 minutes or monthly subscription plans.
About Pace
Pace is the nationwide dockless bike sharing service for smart cities and universities that offers all the benefits of dockless bike sharing, with none of the drawbacks. Powered by Zagster — the U.S. leader in bike sharing, with more than 250 bike shares across 35 states — Pace features a first-of-its-kind bike sharing model that blends predictability and flexibility for riders while preserving order and safety for communities. Pace’s lock-to technology ensures bikes are always secured to fixed objects when not in use, while a mix of intelligently placed bike share parking, plus the freedom of being able to lock Pace bikes to public racks, enables point-to-point travel while ensuring riders can reliably add bike sharing to their daily transit mix.
More information about Pace can be found at ridepace.com.
About Zagster
Founded in 2007, and headquartered in Boston, Mass., Zagster operates more than 200 bike shares across 35 states. Zagster pioneered the smart bike platform that enabled bike sharing to flourish in communities of all types and sizes nationwide. The company’s goal: To make the bike the most loved form of transportation in every community.
More information about Zagster and its programs can be found at www.zagster.com.
Media Contact
Danielle Toboni, Pace public relations, press@ridepace.com, 617.945.1915