Bike share comes to Medford
Starting in June, 2019 Medford will join over a dozen communities, including our neighboring cities of Arlington, Everett and Malden, to become part of the metro-Boston regional bike share system. The program will feature over a thousand dockless bikes, with Medford getting 50 to start, and be operated by the micro-mobility company, Lime.
Here are some things you should know:
The regional system
Lime was selected as the vendor through a bidding process managed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). They will provide a fleet of electric-assist bikes that don’t go any faster than regular bikes but do provide some additional assistance for climbing hills.
Unlike Boston, Cambridge and Somerville's Bluebikes system where bikes are locked into stations, the Lime bikes are dockless so they can be picked up and dropped off anywhere within the participating communities. Rather than going to a station they are located and accessed using a smartphone app.
This model works well for cities and towns like Medford that don’t have the high population density needed to support station infrastructure and the participating municipalities pay no fees for the service.
Using the bikes
Visit the Lime website for instructions, policies and their user agreement. Then download the app to get started.
Safe riding
The Lime bikes incorporate a number of safety features including all-weather drum brakes, front and rear lights that activate automatically when it’s dark outside, and a highly visible green and yellow paint scheme. They are also inspected and maintained on a regular basis.
Because they are electric-assist Massachusetts state law requires users to wear a helmet (which we recommend for all bike riders). Riders must also follow all applicable traffic laws and regulations such as signaling turns when practicable, obeying traffic signals and yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks. The Medford Bicycle Advisory Commission (MBAC) offers educational opportunities for all bike riders to learn and improve skills throughout the year.
Do’s and don’ts of parking
Because the bikes are not stored in docking stations extra responsibility is required of their users. When completing a ride, do park your bike:
Riders should not leave bikes where they:
Above all, be a good neighbor and think about how your actions affect others. The bikes aren’t here to benefit just those who choose to ride them—they’re part of a larger effort to reduce the amount of traffic on our streets, keep our environment cleaner and make it easier for everyone get to where they need to go.
Resolving issues
If you have difficulty accessing the system, experience a mechanical problem or observe a parking issue you may contact Lime for help.
If you see a bike that is improperly parked or fallen over you may:
Contact info
https://www.li.me
[email protected]
Lime customer service: 888-546-3345
Here are some things you should know:
The regional system
Lime was selected as the vendor through a bidding process managed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). They will provide a fleet of electric-assist bikes that don’t go any faster than regular bikes but do provide some additional assistance for climbing hills.
Unlike Boston, Cambridge and Somerville's Bluebikes system where bikes are locked into stations, the Lime bikes are dockless so they can be picked up and dropped off anywhere within the participating communities. Rather than going to a station they are located and accessed using a smartphone app.
This model works well for cities and towns like Medford that don’t have the high population density needed to support station infrastructure and the participating municipalities pay no fees for the service.
Using the bikes
Visit the Lime website for instructions, policies and their user agreement. Then download the app to get started.
Safe riding
The Lime bikes incorporate a number of safety features including all-weather drum brakes, front and rear lights that activate automatically when it’s dark outside, and a highly visible green and yellow paint scheme. They are also inspected and maintained on a regular basis.
Because they are electric-assist Massachusetts state law requires users to wear a helmet (which we recommend for all bike riders). Riders must also follow all applicable traffic laws and regulations such as signaling turns when practicable, obeying traffic signals and yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks. The Medford Bicycle Advisory Commission (MBAC) offers educational opportunities for all bike riders to learn and improve skills throughout the year.
Do’s and don’ts of parking
Because the bikes are not stored in docking stations extra responsibility is required of their users. When completing a ride, do park your bike:
- next to a bike rack or in a designated bikeshare parking area
- on the sidewalk within the “street furniture zone” where amenities such as benches, mailboxes and planters are placed
- along the edge of open spaces like parks, fields and plazas
- on a hard, flat, stable surface
Riders should not leave bikes where they:
- obstruct sidewalks, crosswalks, loading zones or driveways
- block access for people with disabilities
- are in the way of automobile parking spaces or bus stops
- create a safety hazard such as falling over, blocking a door or obstructing access
Above all, be a good neighbor and think about how your actions affect others. The bikes aren’t here to benefit just those who choose to ride them—they’re part of a larger effort to reduce the amount of traffic on our streets, keep our environment cleaner and make it easier for everyone get to where they need to go.
Resolving issues
If you have difficulty accessing the system, experience a mechanical problem or observe a parking issue you may contact Lime for help.
If you see a bike that is improperly parked or fallen over you may:
- pick it up and reposition it so it is out of the way
- wait and see if it is picked up by another rider
- contact Lime to have it picked up and relocated to a designated deployment area
- you may also log it on Medford’s See-Click-Fix system
Contact info
https://www.li.me
[email protected]
Lime customer service: 888-546-3345