A lot of Seattleites are sharing bikes. New data released by the Seattle Department of Transportation shows one-third of the city's population has tried a bike-share at least once.
The bike-sharing data was shared during Tuesday's Seattle City Council meeting. It could help the council craft new regulations for the companies who supply the bikes.
Three bike-share companies are participating in Seattle's pilot program: LimeBike, Ofo, and Spin. That accounts for 10,000 bikes on city streets. Data shows 468,000 rides in 2017, between July and December.
The rides are activated and tracked through a phone-based app and cost $1 each. Data shows most riders are between the ages of 25 to 44.
360 VIDEO: Seattle bike share
The same study suggests nearly three-quarters of riders don't use helmets. That's not against Washington state law, but is illegal under Seattle Municipal Code. Helmet-use is considered a key issue with Seattle's bike-sharing programs. Another concern is how the bikes are parked and discarded.
All three of Seattle's bike-sharing companies have shown interest in continuing service. The city council is expected to discuss future permits on June 19 and roll out regulations later this month.
The helmet issue could be a sticking point in the regulations, although a University of Washington study found no increase in head injuries associated with the bike-shares. Seattle Municipal Court records also show a major de-emphasis in helmet citations. There were 607 citations issued in 2011 -- and only 1 so far in 2018.
The City of Seattle experimented in bike-sharing with Pronto, which ended up costing the city millions. The council and then-mayor killed the program in early 2017. The existing pilot program launched a few months later, at no cost to the city, with an agreement to study the feasibility.
