A former NYC Department of Transportation employee, Ryan Rzepecki, has won a contract from the city for a limited test of Social Bicycle, a wireless bike-sharing system he created.
Known as SoBi, the system allows users to reserve a nearby bike via mobile device or kiosk, eliminating the need for the centrally located bike racks that up to now have been a main feature of bike-sharing programs.
The NYC pilot in will feature 20 bikes starting this fall, and Rzepecki says he has already heard from other cities and colleges across the country.
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I just wanted to clarify that we have not won a city contract to pilot this system. This project is privately funded and will be seeking sponsorship. We are reaching out to the city about using public spaces for the demo, but are also considering alternatives that would use private space.