For Lime bike riders across the North Shore, apparently the juice is worth the squeeze.
According to a staff report presented to West Vancouver council Sept. 11, riders completed 71,683 trips, for a total of 165,585 kilometres, across three local municipalities from January to December 2022. The collaborative, two-year e-bike share pilot wraps up at the end of this year.
Average daily trips taken showed particularly strong demand in the summer months, with more than 2.4 trips per e-bike per day, with a considerable spike in August to 3.8 trips per bike per day. That’s compared to an average of between one and two trips in other North American jurisdictions.
“This data indicates a strong demand in the local community for the program and support for alternate transportation modes in our region,” reads the report.
Most of the total trips taken were in the City of North Vancouver (54,804 trips), followed by North Vancouver District (8,632) and West Vancouver (8,247). But West Van’s program didn’t roll out until last July, meaning that data set doesn’t include the first six months of the year.
The total distance ridden in West Van was also notably higher (32,563 km) than North Vancouver District (24,794 km).
Coun. Nora Gambioli said she was impressed with the results. “That’s way more than I would have thought.”
“If we think about how many car trips were saved … I think it must be having some effect on traffic,” she said. “[The program] sounds like it’s a great success so far.”
Coun. Christine Cassidy asked if there was data on how many of the trips were recreational versus functional, such as riding to the library or grocery store. Staff indicated that information was not available.
In terms of availability, there are 21 Lime “groves” in North Vancouver District, 54 in North Vancouver City and 14 in West Van – for a total of 89. The number of bikes available fluctuates with demand: as high as 250 across the North Shore in September to less than 150 in December.
Findings in the report will inform final recommendations that will be presented to West Van council before the pilot ends in December, staff said. A forthcoming report aims to guide future decision making for the program. This information will go to, and be considered by, each municipal council individually.
