First City to have Electric-Assit Bike Share

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Near mid-September 2015, new bikers with previous barriers, such as obesity, will have an easier biking experience with Birmingham’s new Electric-Assist Bike Share. This bike share is the first of it’s kind in North and South America to have a bike share that includes electric pedal-assist, or pedelec, bicycles. The bikes are not electric, but assist in pedaling the bike.

With this change they hope to bring a more diverse group of bikers to use bike shares.

According to multiple resources, including the Center for American Progress, the Latino population continues to grow in Alabama and across all states. Having access to bike share systems like these may possibly change the way Latinos view transportation and help them become more active.

The group plans to hire a community engagement coordinator to focus exclusively on social and geographic goals related to equity. They are hoping to encourage all people to bike more and have equal access to biking.

“It’s appealing as a way to reduce the barriers to access. It’s about the general person not being intimidated and feeling comfortable enough to try. Maybe they are obese, or just had knee surgery, or have some other health concern”- Lindsay West, the director of bike share at REV Birmingham.

These plans will reach out to diverse groups, like Latinos, that may not have easy access to bikes, for more information on this story, click here.