SANTA MONICA, Calif. (BRAIN) — CycleHop has signed a long-term lease for a new space in Santa Monica, which will be the new home for local bike-share operations and serve as the company’s national headquarters. The company used to be located in Miami Beach, Florida.
CycleHop also has hired Ron Durgin as the regional bike share manager for Southern California. He most recently served as the general manager of the Santa Monica Bike Center starting in 2011 and, in 2009, he co-founded the public charity Sustainable Streets.
“Ron’s local cycling knowledge, active transportation experience and management skills will contribute greatly to the success of bike share in Santa Monica and the region,” said CycleHop’s CEO Josh Squire.
Santa Monica will soon join other major cities that offer public bicycles for residents and visitors to use as transit and for recreation. The city’s bike share program is scheduled to launch this year with 500 bikes at hub locations throughout the city.
CycleHop is currently operating and implementing bike-share programs in several North American cities including Phoenix, Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta, Louisville, San Ramon, Santa Monica and Ottawa. The company also secured a $2 million contract with the city of Long Beach, Calif., this week, to implement a system consisting of 500 bikes and 50 stations.
The Long Beach bike share will be compatible with Santa Monica’s and other cities in the region. CycleHop plans to rollout 100 bikes at 10 locations for demonstration this August and the remainder six months later.