Tag Archives: pronto emerald city cycle share

As shared bikes and cars get more exclusive, it’s time to start thinking about what happens next

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Tom Fucoloro

Lime bikes are blowing up. Literally. Exploding Lime Bike battery on UW campus … yikes! from r/Seattle This post is not about the couple of battery explosions reported in Seattle recently, but it’s hard to ignore that very visible (and … Continue reading →

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Bike share pilot’s daily ridership blows past Pronto’s lifetime totals, rivals both streetcars combined

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Tom Fucoloro

As bike share companies added more bikes to Seattle streets during late summer and early autumn, the number of trips accelerated, too. Combined, Spin, ofo and LimeBike are carrying nearly as many daily riders as both the First Hill Streetcar … Continue reading →

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Spin smashes Pronto ridership in week one, announces improved bikes

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Tom Fucoloro

See our Seattle Bike Share Guide for an updated list of bike share companies in Seattle, links to download their apps and a quick rundown on how it all works. People took 5,008 rides on Spin in the company’s first … Continue reading →

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Spin reaches 1,000 rides in first two days, have you tried it yet?

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Tom Fucoloro

Looking for bike share app download links, an up-to-date list of companies in operation or rules on where to park? We’ve got it all and more in our Seattle Bike Share Guide. People took 1,000 rides on Spin bikes during … Continue reading →

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Why everyone should try Pronto before it shuts down Friday

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Tom Fucoloro

If you have not yet tried Pronto Cycle Share, make it your civic duty to give it a spin before it shuts down for good Friday. Yes, I’m talking to you, haters. I’m also talking to all of you who … Continue reading →

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Pronto will refund remainder of outstanding memberships after March 31 shutdown

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Tom Fucoloro

Many people bought annual memberships for Pronto Cycle Share before the city announced the decision to shut it down March 31. So what happens to those memberships? Originally, the city had planned a new bike share system using e-assist bikes, … Continue reading →

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Mayor Murray cancels bike share expansion, will shut down Pronto March 31

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Tom Fucoloro

Mayor Ed Murray has scrapped his bike share expansion plan, ending the city’s efforts to create a new public e-assist bike system to replace the doomed Pronto system set to shut down March 31. This officially ends a frustrating era … Continue reading →

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Times: King County’s adult helmet law could hold back Seattle’s new bike share system

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

The debate about bike share in Seattle is contentious enough without bringing up one of the most divisive bike-related issues out there: Adult helmet laws. Though I understand that it may seem counter-intuitive at first, best practices from the the … Continue reading →

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Council sets Pronto shutdown deadline, keeps bike share expansion funds for now

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

The Pronto Cycle Share shutdown timer has officially started. The Seattle City Council modified Mayor Ed Murray’s 2017-18 budget to remove most of the street use funds currently supporting day-to-day Pronto Cycle Share operations. Pronto as we know it will … Continue reading →

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Taking Seattle’s Pronto-replacing e-bike for a test ride

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

The Bewegen e-assist bike share bike is heavy, boxy and clumsy, but you can climb James Street from 2nd to 5th without even trying. I was hoping my recent test ride of the Bewegen e-assist bike would help me make … Continue reading →

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Council faces a choice: Kill Pronto now or make lemonade out of the existing stations?

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

Pronto Cycle Share turned two years old last week, but there hasn’t been a whole lot of celebration. At this point, the system has spent more time operating in a state of uncertainty and controversy than it has operating normally. … Continue reading →

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Motivate is out. City picks young Quebec company for new e-assist bike share system

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

Though it’s not final, Seattle has indicated that it intends to select a young Quebec-based company to launch an all-new electric-assist bike share system. That means both Motivate, the current Pronto Cycle Share operator, and the existing Pronto equipment are … Continue reading →

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Pronto finally arrives at UW Station, and it’s great

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

It took half a year, but bike share has finally arrived at UW Station. On paper, the station move from the UW Medical Center rotunda (a rather odd location to find if you weren’t in the know) to the plaza … Continue reading →

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Pronto releases a #SalmonBike into the wild

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

Pronto Cycle Share has released its third “unicorn” bike into the system: The #SalmonBike. Like the bike share system’s popular Pride-themed “glam” bike in 2015, there is only one red-scaled #SalmonBike out of the 500 bikes in the fleet. If … Continue reading →

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SDOT Director Kubly admits to Pronto ethics violations, could be fined up to $10K

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

SDOT Director Scott Kubly has admitted that he failed to obtain a waiver before working with his former employer about Seattle’s bike share system Pronto. The months-long ethics investigation concluded that Kubly violated ethics rules by working with former co-workers … Continue reading →

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Watch: BMX on a Pronto with Steven Bafus

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

To most users, Pronto bikes are just a convenient way to cruise from point A to point B. But for BMX rider Steven Bafus, it’s that and so much more. Is BMX against the rules of Pronto? Probably (depends on … Continue reading →

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Happy Bike Everywhere Day! Map of stations + after parties

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

Happy Bike Everywhere Day! Above is a map of commute stations around the region. Take your time and take the long way to work this morning. And if you don’t have work this morning, even better! The secret of Bike … Continue reading →

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After week of strong sales, Pronto plans first ever ride ‘free’ day

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

Pronto Cycle Share just had its strongest week of new membership sales since autumn October 2014, though the system still has more work to do to catch up to its 2015 membership levels. 124 people signed up during the system’s … Continue reading →

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Pronto will increase free ride time to 45 min + New monthly rate costs less than Netflix

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

For the cost of three bus rides, you can ride Pronto Cycle Share for a month. For the first time, Pronto is offering a monthly payment option rather than paying a lump-sum for a whole year. Especially for people on … Continue reading →

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Pronto buyout draws ethics investigation against SDOT Director

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Tom Fucoloro

Was it an improper conflict of interest when SDOT Director Scott Kubly started negotiations for the city to buy Pronto from the non-profit Puget Sound Bike Share? Did SDOT staff mislead the public and City Council by overstating annual member … Continue reading →

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