So what is holding up the launch of the city's ambitious CitiBike share program? Yesterday the Montreal Gazette suggested it was a problem with the bikes' software, but the DOT is staying mum on the whole thing. "We’re working on the launch plan and will update the public as soon as we finalize all the details." is all NYCDOT spokesman Seth Solomonow would say about the delay the last time we asked. Nevertheless, Mayor Bloomberg has chimed in to confirm that the problem is with the computers.
"Its software isn’t working yet," hizzoner told reporters yesterday. "And just rest assured we’re not going to put out any program here that doesn’t work."
Still, Bloomberg went on, "There’s no government money involved whatsoever here. The only thing about a delay—if it turns out that there is one—is that people won’t be able to use something that we think will be phenomenally popular. But until we get it working perfectly, have these private companies do it to our satisfaction, we’re just not going to put it out."
So what's the story on the glitch? The Gazette explains:
Bixi [whose U.S. partner Alta is launching the program here] is in a legal dispute with 8D Technologies Inc., the Montreal firm that, until recently, provided the software for all Bixi stations.
8D has launched a $26-million lawsuit against Bixi, and Bixi is suing 8D for $2.5 million.
8D’s software is still used in Montreal’s Bixi stations and all other previously-sold Bixi systems around the world.
Bixi has developed new software to replace 8D’s software. That new software is used for Chattanooga’s bike stations and also will be used in New York’s system.
And until that software is working perfectly, we don't get bike-share (because the whole system is based around computer-controlled kiosks where you pick up and drop off your bikes). So, while they get all that sorted out and test the software, we wait. The program was supposed to start this month and now appears to be set to start sometime in August...Is it August yet?
