A team consisting of CycleHop, Social Bicycles, and SandVault have been selected to operate, fund, and supply equipment for the Phoenix bike share system. CycleHop, a company that has been involved in bike share for over twenty years, will be operating the system while SandVault will provide the station kiosks and Social Bicycles will provide their “smart bikes.”

The system is expected to roll out in December of this year with between 300 and 500 bicycles and at least 30 station locations. The system is expected to become a regional bike share program and grow to about 1,500 bicycles in the coming years.

Following Phoenix’s announcement, Ryan Rzepecki, CEO of Social Bicycles issued this statement: “Social Bicycles, together with CycleHop and SandVault Group, are excited to bring the next generation of bike share technology to the City of Phoenix. Residents and visitors will soon be able to travel using a new environmentally friendly form of public transportation. The bicycles are equipped with a GPS-enabled locking system which will lock to bike racks found at hub locations throughout downtown Phoenix. Social Bicycles is more affordable and scalable than other technologies, and we hope to quickly spread the program throughout the region and the State of Arizona.”

Few programs have been faced with summer heat like Phoenix, which regularly sees highs between 110 to 120, and keeping riders cool and equipment in functioning order will undoubtedly require creativity and new innovations in bike share technology.

Check out the rendering below to get a better idea of what bike share will look like in Phoenix.