Wonder what that row of bicycles are on the corner of Arlington and Boylston just across from the Heritage Condos and Four Seasons? It is a new Bike sharing program called Hubway or http://www.thehubway.com/ which is sponsored by New Balance . It is indeed an interesting “Green” concept that is primarily based on a trust system. The site explains the system more concisely but the overall gist is a clean, healthy, alternative to cabs. In all, there nearly 600 bikes at 61 stations around the city(Station Map Here). There is a annual membership fee of $85 which is reduced to $60 as a special introductory price. Below are the usage fees and explanation of how they are structured which we got from their site TheHubway.com.
Hubway Boston
Usage Fees
Every ride less than 30 minutes time is always free for both Registered and Casual Members. After 30 minutes, Usage Fees are incurred based on the following rates. Registered Members received 25% off Usage Fees, which will be billed on the 10th of each month. Casual Members are billed for Usage Fees within 3 days of the end of their membership period. The rates are as follows:
| Ride Time | Total Hourly Fee Casual Membership |
Total Hourly Fee Registered Membership |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 29:59 min | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 30:00 – 59:59 min | $2.00 | $1.50 |
| 60:00 – 89:59 min | $6.00 | $4.50 |
| 90:00 – 119:59 min | $12.00 | $10.50 |
| 2:00:00 – 2:29:59 hours | $20.00 | $16.50 |
| 2:30:00 – 2:59:59 hours | $28.00 | $22.50 |
| 3:00:00 – 3:29:59 hours | $36.00 | $28.50 |
| 3:30:00 – 3:59:59 hours | $44.00 | $34.50 |
| 4:00:00 – 4:29:59 hours | $52.00 | $40.50 |
| 4:30:00 – 4:59:59 hours | $60.00 | $46.50 |
| 5:00:00 – 5:29:59 hours | $68.00 | $52.50 |
| 5:30:59 – 5:59:59 hours | $76.00 | $58.50 |
| 6:00:00 – 6:29:59 hours | $84.00 | $64.50 |
| 6:30:59 – 6:59:59 hours | $92.00 | $70.50 |
| 7:00:00 – 23:59:59 hours | $100.00 | $75.00 |
The bikes themselves seem pretty indestructiblebut this writer has concerns that vandalism(angry cabby’s perhaps?), injuries and irresponsible riders may cause some headlines in the near future.
LRG Luxury Residential Group | 355 Boylston St, Boston MA 02116 | (617) 233-5800 | |