Gotcha website photo.
Iowa City is the latest community in the state to move forward with a bike share program.
The council is working with a company called Gotcha to launch the service later this fall. Iowa City staffer Darian Nagle-Gamm says the program will help meet the needs of low-income residents while also helping the environment.
“The goal of the bike share is to provide a healthy, safe, affordable and easily accessible transportation options for residents and visitors to reduce demand on our roadways, vehicle congestion, greenhouse gas emissions.” This fleet of bikes will be electric-assist.
Iowa City council member Mazahir Salih says the need is there. “Really, this will be like much needed at the low income neighborhood and the people who will really in need of this because they can use it,” Salih says, “Especially if they have a discount…for low income.”
For a one-time ride, customers will pay $2 to unlock the bike and ten-cents a minute, or a flat fee of $80 a year. Low-income customers can qualify for a discounted annual membership for just five-dollars a year. Other Iowa communities with bike sharing programs include: Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Mason City and Sioux City.
(Thanks to Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)