MYNORTHWEST NEWS

After a ‘disaster’ of an experience, Seattle buries bike share

Mar 27, 2017, 3:04 PM

Pronto! bike-share program, bike share...

Say goodbye to the Pronto! bike-share program in Seattle. (AP)

(AP)

March 31 will mark the end of a contentious program that has been marred by problems since it began operating two years ago in Seattle.

Report: Seattle Council candidate vows to give voice to frustrated locals

The bike-share program Pronto! will shut down after city leaders opted to spend the money elsewhere and cease their pursuit of a new system.

It’s a program that has struggled since it began operating in October of 2014.

During its first year, Pronto! under-performed. First-year projections estimated the total trips at 446,000. Instead, only 142,846 trips were taken, according to city data. That breaks down to 0.78 trips per bike.

The only bright spot for the program during its first year was that casual ridership was well above projections, garnering 33,000 riders opposed to the projected 20,500.

However, it was found that the program’s parent company, Motivate, overestimated the membership. Originally reported as 3,000, membership was closer to 1,900.

Total revenue came in at $613,000 during the first year, according to the city. Projected revenue was $860,000.

Despite a troubled first year, the city stuck with it.

The Seattle City Council voted in March 2016 to buy the program for what was originally thought to be $1.4 million. That price tag turned out to be higher after it was discovered the Seattle Department of Transportation used $305,000 to pay for the program’s operating costs while it was still being operated by Motivate. The payment was not disclosed for weeks.

In addition to the financial issues, it was later announced that SDOT Director Scott Kubly violated two ethics rules.

But the city pushed on and even planned to slowly expand the number of stations throughout the city — it was argued that the program couldn’t grow without increasing the offering outside of downtown and the Central District.

In September of this year, it was reported that the city selected a vendor to completely replace Pronto!’s fleet with electric-assist bicycles to the tune of $5 million.

“Some people look at it and say, ‘You’re throwing good money after bad.’ How do you respond to that?” KIRO 7 asked SDOT’s Transportation and Mobility Director Andrew Glass Hastings.

“I’d say, give us a chance to see if we can come to a contract that really resets bike share in Seattle,” he said.

Well, that didn’t happen and Mayor Ed Murray announced in January that the $3 million earmarked for program expansion would be used for safety projects.

The theories behind bike share ridership being so low have varied. Some argue Seattle simply has too many hills for more casual riders to hop on. Others blame Seattle’s helmet law.

Councilmember Tim Burgess may have summed it up best when he was reported by The Seattle Times as saying, “Our experience with the Pronto … program has been a disaster.”

Earlier this month, it was reported by the Capitol Hill Times that after Pronto! shuts down, the city will undergo a two-week decommissioning process. That will begin on April 3.

Of course, everyone has a chance to use the program over the next few days. You can even buy a special membership for $10 until the service ends on Friday.

MyNorthwest News

Image: Brightly colored eggs are set on a table on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington,...

Ted Buehner

Expect good Easter weekend weather for egg hunts, chilly evening Mariners games

Both Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend will feature temperatures warming to around 60 degrees across much of Western Washington.

12 hours ago

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 20...

Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio and Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

Seattle tourism dollars break records following All-Star Week, Taylor Swift

It was a record-setting year for dollars flowing into Seattle from tourists.

13 hours ago

Image: A bridge in Carnation....

Julia Dallas

Carnation frustrated with Seattle again after 8th false emergency alarm induces widespread panic

Carnation citizens have faced a series of panic-inducing alarms after SPU's system for the Tolt Dam falsely sounded eight times.

14 hours ago

Grocery store shopper...

Bill Kaczaraba

Ways to deal with Seattle grocery store sticker shock

Seattle grocery store sticker shock continues to play havoc on locals, but there are ways to counter high prices.

14 hours ago

belltown hellcat social media...

Frank Sumrall

Infamous ‘Belltown Hellcat’ social media influencer charged with reckless driving

The social media influencer has been accused of driving 107 miles per hour through Belltown in a Dodge Hellcat.

16 hours ago

KIRO Newsradio gracie awards...

MyNorthwest Staff

KIRO Newsradio anchors receive Gracie Awards for outstanding work

Heather Bosch and Lisa Brooks, anchors at KIRO Newsradio, have been honored by the Alliance for Women in Media with prestigious Gracie Awards.

18 hours ago

After a ‘disaster’ of an experience, Seattle buries bike share