Last week the first North American public bike-share program debuted in Washington D.C. With 120 bikes at 10 self-service racks, SmartBike DC officially launched. This week the Streetfilms team took it for a spin.

Here are some helpful facts about SmartBike DC:

To use this bike-share program you must become a member for an annual fee of $40 and have your membership card.

Locks & Helmets are not provided so bring your own.

Each trip has a 3 hour limit, but you can park at a station and take out another bike for no fee or penalty.

<br> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[intro music]</font> <br> </p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Elizabeth Press:</i> [00:03] Our nation’s capital has become the first US city to launch a bike-sharing program.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Alice Kelly:</i> [00:10] It’s most similar to a zip car where multiple members can use the same vehicle. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Paul DeMaio:</i> [00:18] The clear channel system is called SmartBike. That and new addition of Columbia on the end and you get SmartBike DC.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Elizabeth Press:</i> [00:26] Streetfilms took a fieldtrip this week to Washington DC to see for ourselves how a SmartBike system works. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Euan Fisk:</i> [00:33] The way the program works is sign up online, get a card, it’s $40 annual fee, take the card to any of the ten stations around town, a total of 120 bikes you can get, you go to the station with your card, swipe it and it indicates which bike to take. Just go to the station with the number, pull it out and you’re ready to ride. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Elizabeth Press:</i> [00:49] And that is just what we did with local bike-share advocate Paul DeMaio. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Paul DeMaio:</i> [00:54] I’m very excited to see that it’s finally here and I think while it’s a small program to start off with, it’s going to be growing in leaps and bounds in no time.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Robin Urban Smith:</i> [01:01] It would be fantastic if there were twice or three times or four times as many stations like this one. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Alice Kelly:</i> [01:06] Knowing what we know now, of course we would have launched it bigger. But when we were initially thinking about this, we really weren’t sure how popular it would be. The rising cost of gas and the ever increasing green attitude of everybody is now showing us that, yes, the city will support a broader program. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Clarence Eckerson Jr.:</i> [01:34] One thing I noticed on our very short trip over here is that these bikes are very nicely built. They’re solid. You’re not going to go 20/25 miles an hour on them, but very high level comfort while riding this. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Robin Urban Smith:</i> [01:44] We found a nice bike lane on New Hampshire Avenue and strolled right into Dupont Circle to drop our bikes off, and the best part is if I get a flat tyre, I don’t have to change it. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Euan Fisk:</i> [01:54] We have a maintenance and distribution crew that’s in operation ten hours a day and they are performing general maintenance on the bikes, and also moving them around to even out distribution, make sure there are a good number of bikes at each station. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Elizabeth Press:</i> [02:07] Although you normally need a subscription to use this particular bike-share program, Clear Channel let us take it for a spin and passer-byers were really interested.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Speaker:</i> [02:16] $40 you can’t go wrong, it’s like going around the city. Fantastic. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Speaker:</i> [02:21] It’s economical and it’s safe, green. I think it’s a great idea. </font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Speaker:</i> [02:26] I’ve seen them around in the city and I think it’s a great, great opportunity.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Euan Fisk:</i> [02:31] You can ride it for up to three hours and when you’re done with it you can drop it at any of the other ten stations.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Clarence Eckerson Jr.:</i> [02:37] I returned the bike but then I want to take it out again let’s say. I just swipe my card, it said take bike number three and here I am, I have another bike and now I can go to another bike station.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Alice Kelly:</i> [02:51] Legally we cannot require helmets for the users of this, which is you have to be over 18. So what we are suggesting is don’t forget to bring your own helmet. It’s not just a remember to wear one.</font></p> <p> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Paul DeMaio:</i> [03:08] It was great. I’m really impressed with the system and I’m so glad that Washington D.C. is the first city in North America to have our very own bike-sharing program. </font> <br></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font></p> Transcription Sponsored by: <a href="http://transcriptdivas.com/">Transcript Divas Transcription Services </a>