Why I Love Ford GoBike Share
The other day I had to get from the Mission to a bar near Powell. I was pressed for time, and the next Bart was 10 minutes away. I also did not want to take a Lyft or Uber because I was so close to the Bart line.
Ford GoBike Share provided me with the best transportation option. I had recently gotten a yearly membership to Ford GoBike as a way to show support for the program, and a station had just opened up on 16th and Valencia. I walked up to the station, entered a code provided to me by the Ford GoBike app, got on the bike, and rode it straight to the Powell St. station. It was so easy that it almost felt like I had called an Uber or Lyft. But it was so much better. I did not have to awkwardly sit in the back of a stranger’s car or get rerouted to pick another stranger up. I was moving outdoors and setting my own course. I did not contribute to greenhouse gases. It was one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transportation. Most importantly, I was in control.
Ford GoBike Share truly solves the last mile problem. Every day, new stations are being added, and every day, the service becomes a bigger part of my life. I use it to get from the Bart station to work or the Bart station to the gym. I use it when the muni subway is closed. I use it to get from downtown to the Caltrain Station, taking the new beautifully protected bike lanes on 7th and 8th. And it’s cheap! None of your tax dollars are being used to fund the program, and the membership is only $125 a year ($5 if you qualify) with no extra usage fee. The more you use it, the cheaper it becomes. Plus, you don’t have to worry about repairs, tuneups, or getting your bike stolen (I have had two stolen so far). Not only is Ford GoBike Share the cheapest public transportation service in the Bay Area, it is the only public system that provides the stitching to connect the many different transportation hubs and neighborhoods in the Bay Area.
Ford GoBike Share has so much potential to change the entire region. With 165+ stations live in San Francisco, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and San Jose, the bike share program is just getting started. There are still over 90 cities in the Bay Area, many Caltrain and Bart stations, and large portions of San Francisco without coverage. Yet, I am still so freakin’ excited. This program can revolutionize the region. If more people use the system, more bike share stations and general bike infrastructure will be created. If more people use the system, fewer cars will be on the road, and the Bay Area will get closer to becoming a carbon neutral region. If more people use the system, more people will be healthier, reducing obesity and the burden on our healthcare system. Ford GoBike Share just needs us to ride it. Sign up for a yearly membership, and give the bikes a spin. You will not disappointed.
