ToBike
{{Short description|Bicycle-sharing system in Turin, Italy}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox Public transit
| name = [TO]Bike
| image = To-bike-300x111.jpg
| transit_type = Bicycle-sharing system
| began_operation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2010|06|05}}
| ended_operation = {{End date and age|df=yes|2023|02|13}}
| system_length =
| lines =
| vehicles = 600 active {{nobr|(1300 planned & confirmed)}}
| stations = 128 active {{nobr|(+76 planned & confirmed)}}
| ridership =
| track_gauge =
| operator = ToBike, Comunicare s.p.a.
| owner =
| website = {{URL|tobike.it}}
| image2 = Bike sharing Torino Porta Nuova.jpg
}}
[TO]Bike was the bicycle-sharing system of the city of Turin. Planned between 2008 and 2009, it was operational from 2010 to 2023.
Service
The service was operational 24 hours a day every day of the year. It was based on the Bicincittà system: every station was formed from 8 to 20 terminals (or more). Each terminal was in a small metallic column with an RFID reader interface on top. This included two LEDs: a green one for normal operation ad a red one to indicate malfunction or errors while reading users' cards. A complementary piezo speaker acted with the LEDs to indicate the correct or incorrect reading of the user's code.
The user approached the terminal with their personal card, which mechanically releases the bike. From that moment the bike is available for a period of 30 minutes. All the terminals are connected together to create a network which allowed the user and service administration to locate the stations where the bike has been withdrawn (every bike is equipped with its own RFID chip). The service was completed by a web platform, from which the user could check their credit, renew their subscription and keep track of all the trips made and the number of bikes used.
The system was also linked with the BiciInComune services, operational in the near cities of Alpignano, Druento, Rivoli, Collegno, Grugliasco and Venaria Reale all operated with the Bicincittà technology too. In this way, you can catch a bike in the center of Turin and put down in every station of that cities.
Bikes
The bikes adopted by the ToBike services were low-profile women's model citybikes. The livery was inspired by the official colors of the city with yellow main frame and blue large stickers for the ToBike logo. Equipment included a 7-speed chain transmission, front and rear lights powered by a dynamo installed on the front wheel hub, and a metallic basket on the handlebar and a bell. On the left side of the junction between the handlebar and frame was the cylindrical locking joint that contains the identifying RFID chip and allows locking it to the terminal. The wheels were made of aluminium alloy on which reinforced tires are mounted.
Rates
The annual cost of the service was of €25, with a preventive €5 addition in order to create a credit on the user's account. In case the user exceeded from the 30' canonic time for a single use of a bike, the service applied fines and automatically scaled sums from that credit. A €5 global insurance against damages to third parties was also offered optionally. The offer also included daily and weekly subscriptions.
Stations and further development
ToBike system consists of a growing number of bikes and 176 stations among operational, under construction ones and planned ones. Joining the 28 stations of Alpignano, Druento, Rivoli, Collegno, Grugliasco and Venaria Reale the number of stations reached 204.
ToBike ceased operations in February 2023.{{Cite web |last=D'arcangelo |first=Asja |date=2023-01-26 |title=ToBike: Torino dovrà dire addio alle sue biciclette gialle |url=https://mole24.it/2023/01/26/tobike-torino-dovra-dire-addio-alle-sue-biciclette-gialle/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Mole24 |language=it}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.tobike.it/}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Bicycle sharing systems}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:ToBike}}