TOLEDO, Ohio - The Metroparks Toledo have awarded a contract for a new bike sharing program in downtown Toledo.
The contract has been awarded to Gotcha Bike LLC to operate the program. The contract is worth $294,500 and is managed by the City of Toledo.
Gotcha will install 100 bikes and 18 docking stations in the downtown area as soon as this summer. The Charlston, SC company manufactures its own smart bikes and rents them out through a smartphone app.
“This is a great partnership with the Metroparks that will make Toledo more liveable and offer a healthier and more environmentally-friendly option than driving. This is the start of a plan that will be a transportation alternative,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said. “Other cities have used bike share programs with great success and this is overdue in Toledo. Successful cities offer these kinds of opportunities for their residents and visitors. Thanks to Metroparks Toledo for helping to make this a reality.”
A Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant will pay for 80 percent of the costs up to $262,760. Additional funds may be raised from sponsors.