Summary of a case study published in 2019
In 2017, cardiovascular diseases accounted for nearly a third of all deaths in Brazil. Lack of physical activity is a key risk factor for heart disease, and local authorities decided to help citizens increase their physical activity by encouraging cycling. Fortaleza decided to run a pilot project using an integrated bike share system to raise awareness about cycling benefits. “Active commuting” was promoted through a collaboration between 6 government departments and local businesses. The objective was for the partnership pilot model to increase awareness of the scheme and that employers’ support would subsequently encourage participation.
The scheme’s promotion was also an opportunity to increase awareness about road safety for cyclists. A bicycle parking program was offered to encourage cyclists to use existing cycle lanes and a safer environment was created by introducing new policies to improve road safety. For instance, new bicycle boulevards were created at intersections based on recommendations from audits, and there was a reduced speed limit for motor vehicles.
There were some difficulties at the outset, mainly due to the decision to use a new technology for tracking the use of the free bicycles. A dockless system was required to ease locating and using the bikes, and to allow data on usage to be collected. There were also initially doubts about the effectiveness of the pilot campaign for creating any lasting behaviour changes in commuting habits.
Implementation was facilitated through strong support from the Mayor’s office. Urban mobility was seen as a priority, and Mayor Claudia/o Becerra was a key advocate of the scheme. The project was also in line with a national commitment to increase cycling and improve road safety, which had seen the establishment of other programs around the country.
In 2018, 40 bicycles were first deployed to 6 docking stations around the city. Local media ran campaigns advertising the service and organizations involved amplified the messages to their employees. Contrary to fears of low uptake, data showed the scheme was well used. In the first 5 months there were almost 500 registrations and over 2,000 journeys made. On average, half of the bikes were used daily. An analysis was conducted of typical journey patterns based on GPS systems built into the bikes, to help gauge where additional bikes could be added.
High demand showed there was room to expand the service. Strong interest from local organizations indicated the project’s potential value, and based on early results, the project was set to continue. It also expanded to collaborate with 16 government departments.
In general the program was recognized as an innovative approach to urban mobility. It even received international recognition in June 2018 by winning the Sustainable Transport Award from the US Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Future plans included expanding the pilot into a larger program and exploring ways to monitor the health of the most frequent users in partnership with local universities and the Municipal Health Department.