Bike-Share Is Now Online in Jersey City

.@CitiBikeJC is ready to roll out! @bikejc pic.twitter.com/An27y7DtKD

— Tri-State (@Tri_State) September 21, 2015

Citi Bike Jersey City launched today.

The Jersey City system is compatible with its NYC counterpart and has the same price structure. If you sign up for one system, you can use bikes in the other. The Jersey City network launched with 350 bikes and 35 docking stations.

There is a cluster of bike-share stations downtown in close proximity to PATH stations, and the rest are dispersed across city neighborhoods, with relatively long distances between them. Mayor Steve Fulop said the city asked Motivate to site the stations that way to “send a signal to the community that bike share is for everyone.” But it could backfire if users find the docks too spread out to be useful.

“It’s not very often that a city gets a completely new public transit system, a new way to enjoy the outdoors and stay active, and a new link to New York all at once, but that’s what we have today with Citi Bike,” Fulop said in a press release. “This is something that will connect every corner of the city. We have bike stations in every ward.”

As in NYC, Citi Bike Jersey City is funded by user fees and private sponsorships, without operating subsidies.

“Thanks to Mayor Fulop’s visionary leadership and the support of terrific sponsors, the Citi Bike program is now a seamless regional transportation network improving commutes on both sides of the Hudson,” said Jay Walder, Motivate president and CEO.

BBnet3000

I like how the map includes stations near PATH on the Manhattan side (they could maybe add ones near the ferry stops too, or even just not grey out Manhattan and show all stations within the map boundaries?).

I tend to think that cycling to/from transit will be a large driver of modeshare in JC, and hopefully this will discourage people from bringing bikes across the river which will be a pain for Citibike to rebalance.
qrt145

Bringing bikes across the river is prohibited by the rental agreement:

“You may not bring a Citi Bike bicycle in a car or ferry, or ride or transport a Citi Bike bicycle from New York to New Jersey or vice versa.” http://www.citibikenyc.com/terms/effective-20150815-rental-agreement

Not that that’s going to stop people from trying. 🙂
Alex

This looks terrible for Citibike. They were rightfully called out by Bronx politicians when this was announced. They could have named the program something different, but with the same bikes and the same name, one can’t help but think this expansion cut into phases 2 and 3 here.