EMBARK Launches Dockless Bike Share Service

June 11, 2019

Spokie’s EMBARK bike share program, announces a new way for OKC residents and visitors to enjoy the urban core. Spokies Dash, a new dockless bike system, includes 25 bicycles that may be picked up or dropped off in the downtown, Bricktown, Deep Deuce, Film Row, Uptown, Page Woodson, Paseo Arts District, and Plaza District areas. Unlike Spokies’ existing fleet of bikes, the new bikes do not have to be checked out or returned to Spokies kiosk, giving riders more freedom and range.

“Adding dockless bikes to our bike share program is the next evolution in the industry,” said EMBARK director Jason Ferbrache. “Our existing Spokies program has been successful, averaging over 12,000 rides per year. The new bikes contribute to OKC’s micro-mobility and encourage visitors to explore more of our city center.”

Spokies DASH bikes can be located using the BCycle App. Riders may take the bikes anywhere in the approved areas and return them to bike rack. Preferred bike racks that work best can be found on the app. Riders who leave bikes outside the designated areas will incur a $40 fee. GPS devices on the handlebars offer turn-by-turn directions throughout the approved areas. The cost for the dockless bikes and Spokies existing bikes is $1 to unlock a bike, then 12 cents per minute for single-use riders or 10 cents per minute for monthly and annual BCycle members.

Funding for the new bikes primarily comes from a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant managed by the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG). EMBARK has hopes of expanding the pilot program in the future. EMBARK’s contractor, Bicycle Transit Systems, operates in several other cities allowing EMBARK to learn from industry pioneers what has been successful elsewhere.

“One of our objectives is to improve air quality in central Oklahoma by reducing reliance on single-occupancy trips taken in vehicles,” said John Sharp, Deputy Director with ACOG. “EMBARK’s new dockless bikes help with that initiative by encouraging people to ride bikes, especially for short trips in and around the city where a car might not be required. We’re pleased to be part of the program’s expansion, and we encourage residents and visitors to take advantage of this more accessible mode of transportation.”

The new dockless bikes will complement the eight existing Spokies stations. To better keep up with demand in high-use areas, two Spokies stations will be moved from their current locations at Elemental Coffee, at North Hudson and Northwest 8^th Street, and the Oklahoma City Memorial Museum, at Northwest 4^th and North Harvey Avenue, to the Intermodal Hub at Santa Fe Station, and the Riversport area, at SE 6^th Street and Lincoln Blvd.

“Oklahoma City has several opportunities this summer to try out the new bikes,” said Ferbrache. “Checking out a bike for a Full Moon Bike Ride, riding one before or after an Oklahoma City Dodgers game or using a new bike to get to or from one of The Plaza District’s monthly art shows are perfect opportunities to try the system.”