Railways Rent Bikes to Berliners August 13, 2002 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 2:03 p.m. ET
BERLIN (AP) -- Helping commuters shave time off their daily train commutes, Germany's rail system has extended a rental bike program to the nation's capital. Deutsche Bahn, Germany's railway operator, deployed more than 1,200 bicycles with the railway's red "DB" logo around Berlin last week, and plans to distribute 800 more by the end of the month. The program began two years ago in Munich, where 1,100 bicycles are currently on the streets. Customers can pick up the bikes at stations, at random street corners, or wherever previous riders may have left them. The only catch: riders must have a credit card or bank account, and it's more convenient with a mobile phone. Other European cities have tried to make bikes easily available, with mixed results. Half of the 800 bikes put on the street in Vienna through a program sponsored by the city government and private sponsors in May disappeared within a week. But Deutsche Bahn officials say the high-tech electronic pay and security system of their Call-a-Bike service should prevent such losses. Only 20 bikes have been stolen or destroyed in Munich, said head of Deutsche Bahn's bicycle program Joachim Schindler. To use the bikes, riders must first register a credit card or bank account number with the railway. When they want to use one of the bikes, registered customers use a mobile or pay phone to call a number on the bicycle's lock to get a code to unlock the bike. The cost is 5 cents a minute, and does not exceed $15 for a full day. The rider can leave the bike locked anywhere in the city, phoning the railway to stop the meter and report where the bike has been left. The eight-speed bikes were specially constructed by the German company Schauff and equipped with automatic headlights, shock absorbers, rust-proof frames and special screws to make stealing parts more difficult, Deutsche Bahn spokesman Andreas Fuhrmann said. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Germany-Call-A-Bike.html?ex=1030262657&ei=1&en=819828fc94c8bd70 HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company _______________________________________ John Madera Regional Bicycle Programs Coordinator Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission 111 S. Independence Mall E. Philadelphia, PA 19106 Phone (215) 238-2854 Fax (215) 592-9125 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.dvrpc.org ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the Bicycle Coalition of the Delaware Valley list named "bike." To subscribe or unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.