In 2013, the City of Austin launched its bike share program, Austin B-cycle, with a $1.5 million federal grant matched with $500,000 in private donations. Since its launch, the program has set national records for bike share systems, and has been financially self-sufficient in its operations. But the program faces ongoing challenges as it strives to maintain an efficient, equitable system in a rapidly evolving market. As a Council member, will you support additional funding mechanisms, from the City of Austin or other local, state or federal sources, to grow Austin’s B-cycle system?

Amit Motwani

City Council, District 3

Yes. The B-cycle system represents far more than just a city commitment to bicycles as an integral component of our multi-modal transportation vision; it represents the city’s commitment to innovation in that same space–however it might iterate itself (dockless has taught us much about that). The level of matched funding that B-cycle has been able to obtain represents the potential for very strong public=private partnerships moving forward, and funding will certainly be necessary to improve efficiency and produce innovation that focuses more on human-centered design and behaviors; I’d like to see a substantial budget line targeting the same.