OCCK Transportation launched KANcycle, bike sharing for rural Kansas, in June 2019, and is celebrating the program’s second birthday with some fun events the week of June 14.
With 16 stations and 80 bikes located throughout north central Kansas, KANcycle has been a popular transportation option with more than 200 users riding bikes more than 1,800 times in eight communities over the past few months. Usage is climbing with the warmer spring months and will continue over the summer.
Bicycles are located in Salina, Minneapolis, Concordia, Belleville, Mankato, Beloit, Lincoln, and Ellsworth.
To celebrate the bike share’s second birthday, KANcycle is inviting the communities to participate in the following come and go birthday parties.
Salina: June 14, 2-4 p.m. at OCCK Transportation, 340 N. Santa Fe Avenue.
Minneapolis: June 17, 2-4 p.m. at Ottawa County Health Department, 817A Argyle Avenue.
Concordia: June 16th, 2-4 p.m. at Concordia Chamber of Commerce, 207 W. 6th.
Belleville: June 15, 2-4 p.m. at Belleville Chamber, 1205 18th Street.
Mankato: June 16, 2-4 p.m. at Mankato City Office, 217 S. High Street.
Beloit: June 14, 1-3 p.m. at Beloit Chamber, 209 E. Main, Suite 104.
Lincoln: June 14, 2-4 p.m. at Lincoln Chamber, 144 E. Lincoln.
Ellsworth: June 18, 2-4 p.m. at Ellsworth Chamber, 114 ½ N. Douglas
Each location will have food, drinks, and giveaways.
“KANcycle has been a great program for north central Kansas,” said Michelle Griffin, mobility manager. “We have brought a new and popular transportation option to smaller communities with this unique program. We are so excited to celebrate KANcycle’s 2nd birthday.”
Riders join the program by signing up for annual memberships or pay-as-you-go. Annual memberships will be $30 with trips under 1 hour being free, student annual memberships will be $20 with trips under 1 hour being free, and pay-as-you-go will be $1.50 every 30 minutes.
Movatic manages all aspects of its bike-share programs — from bikes and technology, to maintenance and fleet rebalancing. Riding KANcycle bike share is easy. Bikes can be found via the free Movatic Mobile App — available for iPhone and Android. Each bike has a unique number which riders enter into the app to unlock the bike. After the rider returns the bike to a designated Movatic bike station, the rental ends and the bike is available for the next person to enjoy.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the state’s largest health insurer, helps to support KANcycle, as they do Bike Share ICT in Wichita.