News
Iberdola España renews its sponsorship of the new municipal bicycle lending service Bilbaobizi
- It will have twice as many bicycles as now and more docking points will be installed to meet high demand in the upper areas of Bilbao
- With a functional and attractive design, the new bicycles incorporate a set of unique and top safety items, which ensure their durability
- Iberdrola España continues to promote electric mobility in the city by sponsoring the municipal bicycle lending service
- On Sunday 15 June, as part of the ‘Bicycle Sundays’ celebration, the service and the new bicycles will be presented on the esplanade in front of the La Perrera municipal building
The Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Mobility and Sustainability on the Bilbao City Council, Nora Abete, presented the new municipal bicycle lending service, Bilbaobizi, which will be launched on Monday 16 June. The service is sponsored by Iberdola España, which continues to promote electric mobility in the city.
Accompanied by Salvador Urquía, CEO of SERVEO, the new company in charge of managing the service, Eduardo Lobato, Commercial Director of Iberdola España in the Basque Country, and Miguel Ramos, GFL partner, who will be in charge of the information and customer service, Abete emphasised that Bilbao is moving towards making the bicycle a means of transport on the same level as the others in the city with this new Bilbaobizi service.
The press conference, which coincided with the celebration of World Bicycle Day, spoke to some of the most important features of the service, which once fully implemented will have 68 docking stations and a renewed fleet of 1,250 bikes.
It was also announced that on Sunday 15 June, within the framework of the ‘Bicycle Sundays’ celebration, the Bilbaobizi service will be officially presented during a fun-festive day, where local residents will be able to try out the new bicycles and participate in the activities organised around this sustainable and healthy means of transport. The day will be held on Sabino Arana Avenue, on the esplanade in front of La Perrera municipal building, with the participation of the Euskadi Foundation.
New Bilbaobizi service
Starting from Monday, 16th June, the new service will increase the current number of bikes to 790, with plans to expand this to 1,250 by next year. These will be new bikes, each featuring a docking system with a special feature that protects the vehicle from vandalism.
The number of docking points will also increase to 68, up from the current 46, to meet the high demand in the upper areas of the city. Two of these new points will begin operation on 16th June at Zurbaranbarri 39 and Ignacio Ellakuria 6, with the remaining 20 points being gradually implemented throughout the next year.
Additionally, virtual stations will be introduced to meet specific service availability needs during events, construction works, or other activities.
Another key change is the introduction of differentiated rates for regular and occasional users, which allows for the service to be adjusted based on usage time. In the case of regular users, the annual fee will be 25 euros, while for occasional use, it will be 10 euros per year.
When opting for a regular subscription, the additional fee for each use depending on the time of availability will be more advantageous than for occasional subscribers.
Features of the new bikes
The model of the new bicycles to be incorporated into the service is one of the most reliable, safe and durable on the market today.
Their functional and attractive design incorporates a set of unique and unparalleled security features, which make them harder to vandalise and ensures they’ll last.
Bicycles are constantly monitored when docked at a station and status information is fed back to the central back-office system to provide a full diagnosis of the bikes' condition.
Pedal assistance is cut off if the current European standard of 25 km/h is reached.
As security mechanisms, the bike features an audible alert, rear wheel lock, GPS tracking and flexible mudguards.
Its design sets the centre of gravity low, making it easier for the user to feel safe when driving in traffic.
The integrated light system makes it safer at times when visibility is poor. It has a rear light integrated into the frame with three flashing red LEDs and a white front light with three flashing LEDs integrated into the pannier rack. The system is activated by pedalling and the lights stay on for at least 3 minutes when the bike is stopped, for example at traffic lights. The lights have a service life of 10,000 hours.
New customer service
One of the main novelties of the new Bilbaobizi model is better customer service, with the incorporation of GFL (Good Food Land), a job centre for disabled workers, which is specialised in multi-channel service.
GFL will manage both the on-site service from a new office in the intermodal station and the off-site channels, providing convenient and accessible access to all the system's procedures: sign up, cancellations, incident resolution and personalised assistance. This new approach consolidates a service model that is customer-friendly, efficient and aligned with residents’ needs.
