Bixi’s back. The expansive, non-profit bike-sharing service has become part of the fabric of Montreal spring, summer and fall. The 2017 Bixi season kicks off Saturday. To get you ready, here’s a five-point Bixi primer:
1. Numbers game: Bixi’s fleet consists of 6,200 bicycles available to rent and ride from 540 stations (up from 460 in 2016) around Montreal, Longueuil and Westmount. Bixi’s season runs from April 15 to Nov. 15. The number of occasional Bixi users increased by nearly 200 per cent from 2014 to 2016; the number of first-time users was up 81 per cent over the same period. Bixi riders took over 4.1 million trips in 2016 (up 16 per cent from 2015). Users must be 14 and over, and at least 4-foot-1 tall. Bixis can hold people weighing up to 265 pounds, and carry up to 18 pounds of cargo in the basket.
2. Ticket to ride: A Bixi season pass costs $89 for a 365-day period, beginning any time. The pass entitles the holder to unlimited 45-minute rides from one Bixi station to the next. Additional 15-minute increments are billed at the rate of $1.75 (for the first 15 minutes over the original 45) and $3 (per 15 minutes thereafter). Bixi bikes can be rented per day at a rate of $5 per day, entitling the user to unlimited 30-minute trips, with the same 15-minute surcharges. Bixis can also be rented for a single trip, at the cost of $2.95 for 30 minutes, plus the surcharges per 15-minutes; this option allows the credit-card holder to rent up to four bikes (at $2.95 each), as opposed to the usual limit of one. A three-day pass is available for $14, allowing an unlimited number 30-minute trips for up to four bikes (at an additional $14 per bike).
3. Let’s make a deal: A 20 per cent discount on one-year memberships is available for groups of 20 or more, through June 1. Many businesses, universities and CEGEPs are signed up with Bixi, allowing their employees/students to benefit from the discount. To enrol a group, fill out the form at bixi.com or call 514-789-BIXI (2494). A new 90-day membership is available for $55, the same price as Bixi’s previously offered half-season membership. The 90-day alternative offers more flexibility as it can be purchased at any point during the Bixi season. Partnerships with Téo Taxi and car2go will be announced soon.
4. Free Sundays! On the last Sunday of each month, Bixi is once again free for unlimited 30-minute trips, courtesy of an ongoing sponsorship from Manulife. The affected dates are: May 28, June 25, July 30, Aug. 27, Sept. 24 and Oct. 29. More than 134,000 free trips were taken on Sundays last year, with a record 30,951 trips on July 31.
5. There’s an app — but you knew that. Available at the App store or via Google Play, Bixi’s user-friendly app will point you to the nearest station, let you know how many bikes are available, and/or how many empty spots are available to park your Bixi at stations near your destination. (If your station is full, you can request an additional 15 minutes, free of charge, to find another station to park.) Users can also rent bicycles directly through the app.