By: Alex Baca, UHBikes General Manager (guest blogger)

UHBikes, Cuyahoga County’s bikeshare program, is turning one!

In July 2016, 10 stations in downtown Cleveland were deployed for a pre-launch prior to the Republican National Convention. The initial 100 bikes—green ones!—gave Clevelanders a preview of the full system, which was formally rolled out on September 21, 2016. The green bikes were replaced with a bright red fleet, matching title sponsor University Hospitals’ colors. Over 100 bikes were lined up in Public Square, and a community bike ride led attendees around downtown and through the Campus District.

Since then, 23,695 trips have been taken on UHBikes, and users have ridden 50,770 miles over 1,108,119 hours and 52 minutes. Over 5,600 people have signed up for UHBikes, and by taking bikeshare have reduced 44,770 pounds of carbon, burned 2,030,818 calories, and saved $29,446 over driving. Trips during the week average three minutes and 1.8 miles, while riders take more leisurely jaunts on the weekend, averaging 2.6 miles over 36 minutes. Most trips both start and end at the W. 9th/St. Clair, Public Square, and Euclid/E. 9th stations, and Market Square is the most popular station overall.

UHBikes can get you where you need to go in and around Cleveland. There are 30 stations and 250 bikes, which can be returned to hubs and drop zones for no charge or locked to any public bike rack for a $2 convenience charge. Stations are downtown, in University Circle, and on the Near West Side, near Public Square, the Mall, city hall and Cuyahoga County headquarters, Cleveland Public Library, the Flats, Tremont, Market Square, Cleveland State University, Cuyahoga Community College, Case Western Reserve University, Wade Oval, the Cedar-University RTA station, and Little Italy.

In May, Cleveland Magazine featured where people are riding UHBikes, and put bikeshare rides on its must-do list. UHBikes has been a regular partner at community events, from Ciclevia to One World Day to the North Union Farmers’ Market, and stayed open throughout the winter to serve as a year-round transportation option for Clevelanders. UHBikes is a partnership between Cuyahoga County and University Hospitals, and is supported by Bike Cleveland, the city of Cleveland, and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.

Interested in trying bikeshare? UHBikes has a pay-as-you-go membership pro-rated at 10 cents per minute ($3.50 per half hour and $7 an hour)—you’re only charged for the time that you use the bike, and pay-as-you-go users can check out up to four bikes at one time. Monthly and yearly memberships are available for $15 and $10 a month, respectively, and give users 60 minutes of free ride time per day. Student memberships, available with a .edu address, are $8 a month and also come with 60 minutes of free ride time per day. All UHBikes memberships require a valid credit card.

For more information on UHBikes and to sign up, see uhbikes.com or download the Social Bicycles app. Skip the drive and go for a ride!