Tourisme vert à Montréal

3.1. Active transportation
3.1.4. Self-service bicycles – BIXI
• In May 2009, Montréal launched a self-service bicycle system called BIXI that allows users to rent a bicycle
from a station, use it and then return it to any BIXI station in the city.
• BIXI is a coupling of the words “BIcycle" and "taXI".
• To date, in 2012, there are 5,120 bikes and 411 stations.
• Each BIXI station consists of a number of bike docks, where the bicycles are locked, and an automated
payment terminal, where bicycles can be unlocked with a Bixi-key (for yearly or monthly subscribers to a
plan), or an access code (obtained by paying with a credit card). The entire station, including information
and advertising panels, runs on solar power.
• In 2011, BIXI recorded 4.2 million trips throughout its network and numbered 40,000 members. The goal
for 2012 is to reach 5 million trips and 50,000 members.
• BIXI has been exported to Ottawa, Toronto, London, Melbourne, Boston, Minneapolis, Washington, DC
and is on the campus of Washington State University on the US West Coast.
• The online station map has been optimized for mobile devices.
• In 2011, Spanish was added to the payment terminal language choices.
Sources:
- The Canadian Press, “L'installation des stations BIXI débute à Montréal,” La Presse, 25 Mar. 2012.
- Karim Benessaieh, “BIXI: 10 millions de profits et rentabilité en 2012,” La Presse, 16 Mar. 2012.
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