Denver’s enjoyed a huge surge in use last year, due in part to starting a year-round schedule.
The number of trips and estimated total miles traveled on the Denver B-cycle system in 2014 rose by 43 percent over 2013. In all, Denver B-cycle riders covered an estimated 803,490 miles in 2014 — up from 560,424 in 2013, according to B-cycle spokesman Mark Stevens.
The number of trips in 2014 climbed from 263,110 to 377,229.
Total membership also jumped 29 percent over the previous year, including a 33 percent increase in 24-hour users, Stevens said.
In 2014, Denver B-cycle sold 74,312 memberships overall, up from 57,563 memberships the year before.
Some of the growth in 2014, can be attributed to Denver B-cycle switching from a partial-year schedule in 2013 — when the system was only open from March through December, for 288 days — to a .
The daily activity level was also up through spring, summer and fall seasons, accounting for some of the growth as well, said Nick Bohnenkamp, Denver B-cycle executive director.
“Our goal in 2014 was increasing reliability and making the B-cycle checkout and return process as seamless as possible,” said Bohnenkamp. “We focused on strengthening our behind the scenes systems; like increasing our customer service hours an adding a third truck for balancing, so more bikes are available when and where our riders need them.”
Denver B-cycle added two new stations in 2014 at W. 11th Ave. and Delaware St., and W. 29th Ave., and Zuni St., bringing the system to 84 total stations. The Five Points station that was destroyed when a car hit it in January will be replaced by early spring, Stevens said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907, mwhaley@denverpost.com or twitter.com/montewhaley
