Category: Travel

Picture it: Your bucket-list trip to London is only a few days away, but you're listening to the impending transit strike, and wondering how you planned to cross the city in an eco-friendly mode.

Or, you’re going to New York City for a business trip in early autumn. The subway is convenient, but on this trip, you will prefer to stay on the ground and see the city on two wheels.

Maybe you booked a last minute single trip to Lisbon (Hooray Flight Deal!) And it was okay to get on Tram No. 28, IconicIt's packed too — and you'd rather keep your social distance.

There is a common solution in all these situations-Micromobility. That is, bike- and scooter-sharing programs are available across these three cities (and around the world).

Micromobility programs give locals and travelers the same ability to cross destinations at their own discretion (hint: on public transit schedules or worse, not on strikes), and at their own pace.

Below, I dive deeper into what micromobility is, its benefits, some common bike- and scooter-sharing programs, and where you can find them.

What is micromobility?

Micromobility refers to light weight vehicles, such as bicycles, electric bikes and electric scooters, which are driven by only one person. In recent years, micromobility has become increasingly popular due to the availability of bike- and scooter-sharing programs.

Share programs allow people to rent a bike or scooter for a fee and return the car after they have finished their trip. Many programs charge a flat rate, plus a (small) per hour fee. Others allow you to rent a bike at a daily or discounted monthly rate-the latter is especially useful for those who travel regularly.

Why would I try a bike- or scooter-sharing program on my next trip?

If you’ve lived or recently moved to a large metropolitan area, you’ve probably seen a colorful, branded bike riding an electric scooter or pedaling. As I mentioned above, micromobility programs seem to have sprouted almost everywhere এবং and for good reason!

1. They are eco-friendly

Whether you choose micromobility to work, to have fun, to exercise or to improve your overall mental health, it is beneficial not only for you, but also for the environment. Switching a car for a bike, e-bike, or scooter helps promote a sustainable world - with low emissions and clean air for everyone.

2. They are convenient

Most bike-sharing programs offer hundreds of docking locations in the city where they are located. Often, they can bridge the gap (mobility) in areas where there is no access to public transit. Also, many scooter-share programs dockless, which means you can leave your fare at your final destination without identifying a drop-off point.

If you rent a scooter, remember where you will leave it after you use it. Although there may not be a dock there, some cities design scooter parking areas so that they are not left anywhere (and everywhere).

Also remember to follow All Local and safety guidelines, including where you can and cannot ride bikes or scooters, where you will be riding bikes and wearing a helmet when complying with all traffic rules.

Related reading: What to do when your destination is in a transit emergency

3. These are affordable

As mentioned above, most bike- and scooter-sharing programs charge a flat rate, plus an hourly fee (small). For example, in the Washington DC Bike-Share program, Capital Bikeshare rates start at $ 1.00 to unlock a bike and then $ 0.05 / min for a bike or $ 0.15 / min for an e-bike. Day passes 8.

London’s Santander Bike Bike-Share costs £ 2 for unlimited travel up to 30 minutes in a 24-hour period. For rides longer than 30 minutes, the ride costs অতিরিক্ত 2 for each additional 30 minutes.

Do you want to compare costs before starting a journey? You can take advantage of TripIt's navigator features with alternative transit methods, such as taking a cab or riding on the subway. The Navigator will show you the estimated cost and travel time for each option, so you can decide which one works best. You can find the Navigator in the details screen of your plan.

Suggestion: Always download the bike- or scooter-share app for ease of payment, save your ride, track your travel time (s) and monitor any remaining balance.

What are some common bike- and scooter-sharing programs?

Now that I’ve covered the benefits of sharing bikes and scooters, let’s get acquainted with some of the programs available.

Lime

Lime offers e-bike and e-scooter rentals in more than 200 cities on almost every continent. The world's largest electronic micromobility platform, Lime supports four key principles: security, sustainability, community and innovation.

As part of its goal to support community and mobility for all, Lime also offers an on-demand service program called Lime Able, which provides "vehicles [that] Uniquely designed to meet a wide spectrum of capabilities. "These adaptive vehicles are available free of charge in selected cities for Lime Riders.

Now part of Lime, JUMP is an electric bike-sharing program offered through Uber. At the time of release, the shiny red JUMP e-bikes are still available for rent directly on the Uber app. That is, if one is found in your area, you will see it as an option in the app. (Otherwise, you may see a lime bike.)

Start by downloading the Lime (or Uber) app and then follow the instructions to start your journey.

Birds

Bird supplies e-bikes and e-scooters to more than 350 locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East.

Note that the Bird's Bird Three scooter is "designed for the round economy." According to their site, the scooter's "environmentally-conscious design and construction maximizes lifespan, reduces waste and increases second life and recycling opportunities."

Just download the Bird app to locate or reserve your ride. You can save an e-bike or scooter up to 30 minutes before your ride.

Level

Berlin-based TIER offers micromobility options in many cities across Europe and the Middle East. In addition to e-bikes and e-scooters, TIER also offers e-mopeds.

As with other sharing programs, you'll want to download the app and follow the steps before launching

Suggestion: Be sure to forward your confirmation email to [email protected] so you know where you picked up your bike or scooter (if you plan to return it to the same docking station), and to check out nearby destinations in TripIt's map view.

Which destinations offer micromobility programs?

Planning a trip and looking forward to seeing what’s available through micromobility? Here are guidelines for cities, including the use of an A to Z (but not extensive) Avid micromobility program.

Amsterdam> In the world's unofficial biking capital, see Hello-Bike, Urbee, and Cargoroo bike-sharing programs. There are also countless bike rental shops to choose from.

Boston> Bluebikes, Boston's public-private partnership with the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, provides a fun and affordable way to explore the city.

Chicago> Divvy Bikes, a Chicago bike-sharing program run by Lyft, offers single-ride passes, day passes, as well as an annual membership for local residents.

Detroit> MoGo, Detroit's public bike-sharing program, offers more than 600 bikes and 75 stations across Metro Detroit.

Eindhoven> The bike-sharing program Hopper and TIER are both available in this Dutch city.

Frankfurt> nextbike is a Europe-based bike-sharing program, and all bikes are made in Germany. One of its advantages is the ability to rent up to four bikes in a single account; Make group rides easier! Lime and TIER are also available in Frankfurt.

Yesothenburg> Styr & Ställ, powered by Gothenburg's bike-sharing program NextBike, has more than 130 stations around the city. Bird and TIRO are in Gothenburg.

H.eidelberg> VRNnextbike, Bird, and TIER are all available at Heidelberg.

Indianapolis> Pacers Bikeshare bikes and adaptive trikes, as well as Lime and Bird, available in Indy.

J.ersey City> Citi bikes, powered by Lyft, are available throughout Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey, as well as NYC.

WhoExplore ansas City> RideKC bikes with paddle bikes and e-bikes. Birds are also found in KC.

L.ondon> Santander Cycles has 800 docking stations and 12,000 bikes in circulation and is available on 24/7/365.
M.anhattan> City Bike, powered by Lyft, is NYC's official bike-sharing program. Riders can access bikes in the Lyft or Citi Bike app. Single rides on the app start at 3.99 / trip. Lime is also found in New York.
New Orleans> After a one-time sign-up fee of 00 1.00, the Blue Bike Nola Ride costs 15 .15 per minute. Download the Blue Bikes app to sign up, find and reserve bikes, and more.

Ohslo> Oslo City Bike is a city bike-sharing program and offers single ride, day, monthly and season passes. Bird and TIER are also available in Oslo.

Paris> Vélib 'Métropole The bike-sharing program has more than 20,000 bikes (40% electric) and more than 1,400 docking stations. Lime and TIER are also found in Paris.

Q.ueens> City bikes are available in five boroughs (including Queens) in New York.

Andome> Helbiz, Cooltra, Zigzag, Lime, Bird, and TIER offer micromobility options in this Italian city.

S.SF's bike- and e-bike-share program is provided by a Francisco> Bay Wheels, elevator. Rides start at $ 3.49 per ride. Lime and bird are also found in the town.

Tel Aviv> Tel-O-Fun is Tel Aviv's bike-sharing program. E-bikes and paddle bikes are available for rent. Birds and TIRO are available here.

A.The German city, probably best known for its car-sharing scheme, offers bike and scooter sharing via Bird and TIER.

V.ienna> Lime, Bird, and TIER are all available in Vienna.

W.ashington, DC> Capital bikeshare stations are across the DMV অর্থাৎ that is, the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region-with more than 600 stations and 5,000 bikes and e-bikes. Lime and bird are also found in DC

X.Rent a bike in the Greek city of Xanthi via anthi> GrCycling.

York> TIER is available in the British city of York.

Z.urich> Lime, Bird, and TIER are all available in Zurich.

DYK? TripIt's City Brake Guides include tips for getting to your destination, including eco-friendly methods such as public transit and bike- and scooter-sharing programs.

Going Places is a new series from TripIt that frequently highlights travelers to showcase their unique travel style and interior tips.

For Lauren Richardson, Lauren's suitcase travel blogger, Travel is all about being creative. That is, being creative with how he travels, where he travels, and how he manages his travel budget.

“As a graduate student, I have to evade my limited budget with my passion for travel,” Lauren told me. "I'm looking for ways to save on travel — from just carrying my carry-on bag and not taking a seat before check-in (no extra fees!) Relying on airfare deals and being as flexible as possible for the wrong fare."

Write: COVID-19, and Lauren had to be creative with travel plans again.

“I plan a lot of road trips,” he said. "About six months into the epidemic, my fianc and I transformed a Subaru into a car-camper and traveled for two weeks in several of the (US) Rocky Mountain states."

Without these countless obstacles, Lauren would not have been able to reach her favorite under-the-radar destination to this day: New Mexico.

"New Mexico has something for everyone! Food, culture, camping, national parks, a hot air balloon festival কাছে to me, it's one of the most neglected destinations in the United States. I'm so glad I got the chance to visit."

Travel plans? Sing to her ears

Whether on the road or in the sky, Lauren likes to keep her travel plans organized with Tripit.

“I wasn’t organized at all until I discovered Tripit,” he shared. “It is very helpful to have everything in one place. When I backpacked through Europe a few years ago, I booked many modes of transport: bus, train, plane — you name it. Having TripIt helped me keep track of it all. "

“I use TripIt even when I don’t travel,” he said. "I'm a huge live music fan, so I forward all my tickets to the upcoming concert on the app - so I know what shows I've booked, where they're playing and much more."

About staying safe when traveling alone — and learning from the locals

Another TripIt feature is that Lauren relies on her ability to share her travel plans — a habit she has gotten, especially when traveling alone.

"I am just happy to be alone. I would stop traveling until I found a traveling friend, but then I had this aha-ha moment, like, why am I waiting to go with someone? "He shared." But of course, I stay safe when I travel alone. I want to, so the ability to share my trip trip gives me and my family - peace of mind when I'm going alone. "

Lauren also keeps track of her destination's safety rating along with TripIt's Neighborhood Safety scores, so she can plan ahead if she goes to a high-risk area.

So, what is his advice for making the most of a single trip? "Make friends with the locals! I like to go somewhere and pretend I'm there. So, I always ask the locals to get to know them and what they like to do."

“I also choose to stay in hostels for travelers alone because their family dinners and walking tours are arranged which makes it easier to meet people,” he added.

Did you know A recent TripIt survey showed that one-third (33%) of Americans planning to travel alone said their trip would also be a bucket-list trip.

Any other tips for co-budget travelers — single or otherwise? “Always book your flight first,” he said. "And be flexible. Prices can change in just a day or two, so picking a good flight deal on a slightly different departure day can open up space in your budget for a trip you've seen."

Want to know more about Lauren's tips for budget travel? Check out her Instagram and blog for more ideas, and find out where she (and her suitcase she carries) next.

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