A neat idea that received a noble effort will come to an end soon.
ColumBike, the city’s bike-share program, will cease operation by Nov. 1, the Columbus Park Foundation said Sept. 19. The program couldn’t generate enough users or sponsorship to make it sustainable.
That’s unfortunate.
The Columbus Park Foundation launched ColumBike in May 2016. Users could rent bikes from kiosks located around the city, then return them when finished. It was a wonderful idea to promote healthy lifestyles, sightseeing and tourism. ColumBike offered an alternative means for people to get from one place to another in the city, or for leisurely enjoying the city’s architecture or other sites.
Despite some early hope for success, and generous financial support from Cummins Inc. and Columbus Regional Hospital, ridership dropped steadily after ColumBike’s introduction. Even a reduction in the cost of an annual membership and increasing the amount of time riders could be on the bikes failed to attract more users.
Sometimes, what works in one community doesn’t work for another. The declining ridership showed that ColumBike just wasn’t enough of a benefit for most local residents and employees.
This is an experience that local leaders will need to remember if they explore a similar idea. But, we hope that it also won’t scuttle new ideas being introduced.
