PBSC: Building a Spanish bikeshare empire - Interview with Zag Daily

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Model
ICONIC
E-FIT
Bikes 10,079
Smart stations 865

Working with famed industrial designer Michel Dallaire, who created the ICONIC bike, we built Montreal’s bike share solution to be removable during the snowy winter season.

Montreal is widely regarded as one of Canada’s shining examples of modern urbanism. With a reliable public transit system and a network of over 900 km of bike paths, cyclists can easily access everything the city has to offer. Long known as a city that values sustainable, car-free transportation, Montreal residents’ enthusiasm for bike-sharing integration only continues to grow.

One of the world’s first bike-sharing success stories!

In addition to being Canada’s bike-sharing gold standard, Montreal also has the longest-established bike-share system in North America. The infrastructure is managed and maintained by BIXI (a word hybrid of “bicycle” and “taxi”). Initially launched in 2009, BIXI’s fleet comprised 3,000 ICONIC bikes and 300 stations. Since then, the scope of its offering has expanded considerably, and it is now one of PBSC’s largest global fleets.

It’s safe to say Montreal is one of the cities that helped kickstart the bike-sharing movement worldwide.

In 2019, following a successful pilot project, e-bikes were introduced into BIXI’s fleet, signaling PBSC’s continued commitment to innovation. Instantly recognizable by their vibrant blue color, these pedal-assisted electric bikes have been a hit with BIXI riders, who enjoy the increased convenience and flexibility delivered by its mixed vehicle fleet.

More than 65 million rides in 15 years

Since its launch in 2009, more than 65 million trips have been completed by BIXI riders. The city’s bike-sharing users rode BIXI bikes over 11.7 million times in 2023 alone. BIXI's statistics and popularity continue to grow year over year, positionning the solution as an integral part of Montreal's DNA and culture. 

Indeed, if you venture down Montreal streets, you’ll surely catch a glimpse of commuters zooming down the city’s dynamic network of dedicated bike lanes on our gray and blue bikes. 

Strengthening the BIXI community

Montrealers are proud of their BIXI experience. In 2022, BIXI introduced 50 art bikes at Montreal's annual Mural festival, transforming the streets into a lively, animated canvas. Users rushed to share this new concept, starting a social media frenzy. Building on this momentum, in 2023 BIXI lit up Montreal nights with the launch of 60 glow-in-the-dark bikes, once again creating a craze among users. 

These initiatives perfectly illustrate how BIXI contributes to urban life, while reinforcing the unique bond between the bike-sharing system, the city and its citizens.

Looking ahead, Montreal’s cycling infrastructure, powered by its impressive BIXI fleet and expanding ridership numbers, has it poised to grow its reputation as one of North America’s foremost micromobility utopias.

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