An article about Nice Ride Minnesota in today's Star Tribune:
Nice Ride Minnesota: Ambitious plans set for 2014 season
Article by: TIM HARLOW , Star Tribune
Updated: October 28, 2013 - 10:18 AM
Nice Ride Minnesota got off to an extremely slow start this spring due to the late-arriving warm weather, but 2013 turned out to be a banner year for the bike-sharing program thanks to the warm and dry summer and fall.
Daily membership (those who took out 24-hour subscriptions) grew by more than 13,500, and collectively users took more than 305,000 rides on those shiny green bikes, an 11 percent increase from last year. The service greatly expanded its presence by adding 228 bikes and opening 24 new stations in several Minneapolis parks and along the Mississippi River and on the Lake Street and Hiawatha corridors. It relocated its call center from Canada to Minneapolis to better connect with its users. In late August, it launched its new “Hidden Wonders in Minneapolis Parks,” a website featuring a wealth of lesser-known information and scenic spots in Minneapolis parks.
And on Aug. 3, the bike-share program recorded a single-day record when riders took 3,451 trips.
But Nice Ride, which shuts down for the season on Sunday, won’t be resting on its laurels, says spokesman Anthony Ongaro. It has some ambitious plans in the works. “We’re looking forward to 2014.”
For starters, Nice Ride plans to strengthen its urban core by adding more bikes and stations in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Even with 170 places to check out and return bikes, there are gaps in the system, Ongaro said
http://www.startribune.com/local/229475001.html