Texas has lots of abundant land, which makes it easy to spread out and find a little place of your own. But that also means it’s a car-dependent culture and convincing people to use any type of public transit is difficult. 

Dallas and Fort Worth have both implemented bike share programs but according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the results so far have been disappointing. So much so that cities in the area are wondering if North Texas is ready to responsibly participate in such programs.

The bike share system used here is designed to be simple to use. You download an app, locate a bike using GPS, and scan a barcode to unlock the bicycle. It’s an affordable mode of transportation, only costing $1 dollar an hour. When you’re done using it, you’re supposed to return the bike to a safe place. It’s called a dock-less system because there’s no set place to return bikes.

What local residents think of bike sharing

However, the bikes are turning up in inappropriate places. They’re being found under bridges, dumped randomly on a sidewalk, and even in the Trinity River. The dock-less nature of the program essentially puts riders on an honor system they’re not always willing to uphold. 

The bike-share companies, of which there are currently five or more operating in Dallas and Fort Worth, have employees assigned to monitor the locations of the bikes. Despite that, the problems have continued. The dock-less systems are creating some public opposition to bike-sharing because piles of improperly discarded bikes are both unsafe and unsightly.

City officials in both Dallas and Fort Worth are taking up the issue for discussion in the near future. The programs may still be able to work, but they need to be better managed and regulated.