June 2008
OYBike Goes International And Delivers the Shared Bike Concept to Universities in the USA
The partnership of OYBike, the UK’s only bike-hire company, and Veolia Transport, one of the world’s largest transport companies, has delivered its first international contract in Chicago, USA.
Students at Saint Xavier University, one of Chicago’s premier universities, will be able to cycle around the campus and city on the first 65 bikes to be installed for the fall semester.
Utilising specialist OYBike technology, students can reserve bikes via mobile phone, or rent directly from the docking station. Labelled the “Green Bike Program”, students can enjoy the first 15 minutes of any journey for free, encouraging them to take the environmentally friendly option around town.
“The Green Bike Program will be a remarkable addition to this campus,” said Saint Xavier Assistant Vice President for Physical Facilities Paul Matthews. “This latest in a long line of green activities at Saint Xavier will allow students, faculty and staff to forego their fuel-burning vehicles and travel campus in a clean and sustainable way.”
Remarking on the new contract, OYBike Managing Director Bernie Hanning said “This international contract puts OYBike firmly on the map as a premier provider of bike-rental schemes. Together with Veolia Transport, we are delivering our growth aspirations, providing towns and cities internationally with environmental transport options.”
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Notes for Editors
Veolia Transport, part of the Veolia Environnement group, currently operates services on behalf of 5,000 local, regional and national authorities in 27 countries around the globe. In 2007, it posted a revenue of €5.5 billion and carried over 2.7 billion passengers.
OYBike, the UK’s only rental bike company, operates street-based rental station networks that allow customers to hire bikes as required via mobile phone. Customers can pick up a bike from one rental station and return to another as convenient.
Veolia Environnement is a world leader in environmental services, quoted in Paris and New York, and posted revenues of €32,6 billion in 2007.
Veolia Transport employs almost 81,000 people and is headquartered in Paris.
OYBike currently runs bike rental networks in London, Surrey, Hampshire, Gloucestershire & Berkshire.