That is what Naima von Ritter, an LSE expert in shared spaces, thinks, who in a blog from that university says that it is a new model of public transport that managed to break down social barriers and that it should be replicated in other megacities. The advantages of shared bicycle systems are multiple: they reduce travel times, traffic and the use of polluting vehicles; they facilitate the use of public transport by being an alternative for last-mile trips; they have positive effects on people’s health and generate financial savings compared to more expensive mobility alternatives. Shared bicycles are also part of the actions of the circular economy, since people do not have to buy their own bicycle, which we probably do not need because we do not need it every day, but we can use those of the public system, which saves resources materials. The Ecobici in Mexico City reduced the use of taxis by 8%, private cars by 5%, and has saved us some 700 tons of CO2 in carbon emissions and some 2,600 days in aggregate travel times.
Now, von Ritter points out, bike-sharing systems face investment challenges and decades of policies that favor the car, but also socio-cultural barriers to start up. Ecobici managed to break many of these barriers. It was possible to project an image of an intelligent mobility alternative in the city, viable for all people, which contributed to positioning the bicycle as one of the best mobility options in the capital. The Ecobici allows all of us to use the public space and assets of the city to move with efficiency and environmental responsibility. It is also an instrument that supports the development of tourism in the city. Along with the Ecobici, campaigns have been carried out to respect cyclists and a very important investment has been made in a network of cycle paths. That is, the Ecobici works because bicycles are always available, but also because little by little the infrastructure and road culture of the capital is increasingly more in line with the use of bicycles. Today it is clear that a good man from the capital is one who recognizes the benefits of cycling and respects the cyclist.
In addition, Ecobici is an excellent example of the interaction of authorities and private providers to offer public services. The goals, conditions, rates and supervision are established by the government, the private is in charge of the administration, since it requires very complex logistical specialties. The user pays part of the cost, the rest is a public subsidy that is around 200 million pesos per year, but with the use of advertising, under the new scheme already contracted, it will decrease to less than 100 million pesos. It is currently the largest shared bicycle system in Latin America and, the second after New York, which is the largest in the continent, in which 6,500 bicycles operate, in 480 stations in Miguel Hidalgo, Benito Juárez and Cuauhtémoc, with 355,000 users. In what remains of Claudia Shienbaum’s administration there will be more than 9,000 bicycles, in 687 stations that will also include the mayor’s offices of Álvaro Obregón, Azcapotzalco and Coyoacán.
Naima von Ritter cites the phrase of a mayor of the French city of Lyon who said that there are two types of mayors in the world: those who have a bike-sharing system and those who want to establish one. That is very clear today, not 12 years ago when Marcelo Ebrard set out to achieve it. At that time, this type of service was operating in a couple of cities in Europe and it was difficult to think that it was a viable alternative for Mexico City. Today, the Ecobici is an intelligent, sustainable and proudly Chilanga mobility policy.
Twitter: @vidallerenas
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A graduate in Economics from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM), he has a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of Essex, United Kingdom, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Management from the University of York.