Council creates bikeshare enterprise fund, adds transportation positions to manage operations

The Summit County Council voted unanimously on April 5 to create a bikeshare enterprise fund and to amend the transportation division charter to add positions to operate the county’s bike-share program.

Transportation staff explained that the county’s bikeshare, the first all-electric bike-share program in North America in its initial model, is at a pivot point. The contractor’s proposed new financial terms and concerns about fleet maintenance led staff to recommend taking operations in-house for fleet mechanics and day-to-day asset management while retaining the contractor for information-technology and customer-service functions.

Council approved a budget resolution (Resolution 2023-03, numbering amended in the packet) to set up an enterprise fund and provide initial funding. Staff said there are upfront capital needs (for a van to rebalance bikes, parts and potential warehousing) that produce an initial operating deficit: forecasted modest loss in the first year followed by larger short-term operating costs in year two as the county ramps up operations, and a return to positive fund balance by year three as sponsorships and fare revenue grow.

Council also approved amendments to the county charter positions in the Transportation Division to add a travel-demand planning manager and two mechanic positions (one seasonal). The travel-demand manager will supervise daily operations, manage fleet asset plans and sponsorship relationships, and coordinate marketing and strategic placement of docking stations.

Staff said UDOT and other grant programs create opportunities to expand active-transportation projects in the county, and that bringing bikeshare operations in-house would better position the county to pursue funding and to ensure fleet maintenance standards are met.

Next steps: staff will establish the enterprise fund, recruit the chartered positions, negotiate short-term logistics (warehousing, vehicles) and pursue sponsorship and grant revenue to reduce county subsidy over time.