Ford Launches 'GoBike' In San Francisco

DEARBORN, MI — Ford Motor Company launched it bike-sharing program Wednesday in San Francisco. Ford’s “GoBike” will have 546 stations and about 7,000 bicycles by the end of 2018, according to the Dearborn automaker. The move is part of Ford’s on-going effort to transform itself into a mobility company.

Ford is collaborating with Motivate, a global leader in bike-sharing technology, in San Francisco. In September, Ford announced plans to develop public-private partnerships with cities around the world to combat the growing strain on transportation infrastructure as populations increase.

“At Ford, we understand it takes working together with cities to address their unique set of transportation challenges to help reduce congestion,” John Kwant, vice president, City Solutions, Ford Smart Mobility said in a statement. “Ford GoBike represents a strong collaboration between Motivate and the communities in the Bay Area, as all parties reinforce their commitment to help the city thrive with more sustainable mobility options like Ford GoBike.”

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In Detroit, “MoGo” launched last month as a partnership between the city of Detroit, the Henry Ford Health System and HAP. It features 430 bicycles at 43 stations in 10 Detroit neighborhoods, including Eastern Market, downtown and new center, among others.

Ford’s mobility movement also includes ride-sharing services as well as the crowd-sourced shuttle service Chariot. Ford bought Chariot last fall. The company now operates in three cities — San Francisco, Austin, Texas and Seattle. It has a fleet of about 250 transit vans.

As for GoBike, its San Francisco introduction is a response to a large increase in the number of people riding bikes to work over the last decade. In the news release, Ford used San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency statistics to back its claims, saying bike usage surged 184 percent between 2006 and 2015.

Ford’s bikes are built to take on the city’s famous hills. They will feature sturdy aluminum frames that offers a stable ride, while the adjustable, padded saddle seat is intended to provide comfort for any rider and is rain-resistant, as is the brake system contained within the frame. The bikes also feature a continuous variable hub providing a wide gear range, allowing riders to choose the right level of resistance. Ford also has numerous safety features built into the bikes, including puncture-resistant tire sand multiple motion-activated lights make riders visible at night.

Riders will be able to download the Ford GoBike app on their smartphones to locate the nearest open bike. A timer keeps track of the time for your current ride to ensure you stay within your rental period, and provides Ford GoBike members with stats such as number of miles ridden on a trip.

Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company