Canada/La Pocatière Finally Has Its Bike-Sharing System

Residents and students in La Pocatière can now take advantage of a bike-sharing service. The project has finally come to fruition. Electric bikes have been available since last week.

The City of La Pocatière now has three electric bike stations located at the Centre La Pocatière, the Cégep de La Pocatière, and the Centre Bombardier.

Mayor Vincent Bérubé believes it was necessary to implement such a system: “It’s a service we wanted to have because we have young people coming to our CEGEP and tourists. “It’s a service we thought could meet the needs of a certain demographic, while also encouraging active mobility.”

The brand-new bike-sharing system faced several obstacles before it could be launched. The initial provider’s bankruptcy in 2023 and technical issues—particularly with the bikes’ SIM cards—delayed the project.

Now that the project is on track, the municipality is in a learning phase and is not yet able to set an end date for the bikes’ launch. “We’re still learning—the conditions here aren’t the same as in Montreal, for example. So we’re going to try to keep the service running for as long as possible, and of course, we’re somewhat dependent on Mother Nature,” explains the mayor.

16 bikes in circulation

You can use the 16 bikes currently in circulation via the “La Pocatière: Bike-Sharing” app. A single trip lasting up to 90 minutes costs $5. You can also purchase a 30-day pass for $25 or a 4-month pass for $100.

“I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s a great idea. I spent a month in France this summer, and they have them in every city there. And when I go to big cities—even here, like in Montreal and places like that—I think they’re used a lot, a lot,” says one resident.

Another man doesn’t plan to use the service: “I don’t think so—with my car, I have too much stuff to carry in it.”

“Well, personally, it’s not something I’ll necessarily use, but for those who need it, I think it’s an excellent idea,” says a woman interviewed near the Centre de La Pocatière station.

According to the city, the project cost slightly more than expected—about $140,000. Despite the many challenges, the mayor says he’s satisfied with this first week: “We’ve had a really great positive response not only from residents but also from tourists using the service. So it actually lets them take a tour of the city while on vacation.”

The project is still in its testing phase, but the city hopes to eventually expand its services and says it has been contacted about adding more stations.

Source: cimtchau.ca/