http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22683267
New York launches bike share scheme 10 months late
27 May 2013 Last updated at 20:52 GMT
The scheme placed 6,000 bikes at 333 stations in the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
It is supposed to grow to 10,000 "Citi bikes" at 600 stations and could become one of the largest of its kind.
Fourteen thousand New Yorkers have already signed up. Similar schemes are already in place in cities like London, Paris, Montreal and Barcelona.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the programme was a "big win" for the city.
"We now have an entirely new transportation network without spending any taxpayer money," he said at a news conference on Monday.
The scheme has prompted debate within the city over whether New York's roads could become more dangerous with increased bike traffic moving alongside cars.
Other residents have been reluctant to see parking spots disappear, or say the bike stations look unattractive.
But New York's transport department said it had been warned by aides to London Mayor Boris Johnson that residents would initially complain.
"They said you'll be hated for six months," transport policy director Jon Orcutt told the New York Times. "And then you'll be loved."
London's bike share programme was introduced in 2010.
In New York, the annual fee of $95 (£63) includes unlimited rides of less than 45 minutes each. On 2 June, the city will roll out daily and weekly plans.
The programme was originally to begin in July 2012, but faced some problems, including damage to the city after a major storm, Sandy, struck in October.
New York resident Alex Nash that said despite some teething problems, he planned to use the new service regularly.
"To start with, it was a little bit difficult to put it back," he told Reuters news agency. "I couldn't get a new one. But it's great. I love it."
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Taipei already has U-bike service. At the following webpage is a brief introduction to it. Click the link, and you'll find the U-bike station allocation in the city.
http://whytaiwan.blogspot.tw/2013/04/taiwan-travel-u-bike-in-city-of-taipei.html
Taiwan Travel - U - Bike in City of Taipei ( Strongly Recommended)
U-Bike for a New Traveling Experience
Apr. 19, 2013
The Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government, they want to encourage citizens to use bikes as short-distance transit. They hope city of people can elevating life and culture and also in response to a global energy conservation and carbon mitigation.
Taipei City launched a (very fast) deployment of the “U-bike” system, almost identical to the Velib system launched in Paris with great success on 15 July 2007.
The bikes themselves are manufactured by local world leader Giant and the payment system is managed by TSCC.
The U-Bikes will initially only be available in the Taipei Xinyi district with a roll out to more locations planned for later in 2009 so, right now, everyone can easily have a city tour by bicycle.
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