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How Staggered Stations Help Increase Bike Availability

Jess's avatar
Jess
Bike Angels Team
3 years ago

It’s clear—NYC riders want more docks and more bikes, and we’re listening! As we work to ensure riders have easy access to the types of bikes they want where they want them, we introduced staggered stations to increase the storage capacity at our most-frequented stations. Staggered stations increase bike and dock availability by adding 50% more docks to the station platform without impacting the gross square footage of the station’s space on the ground. 

 

Angels visit a lot of stations, and the riding that Angels do helps keep the system healthy. Staggered stations deepen the impact of Angels’ efforts by increasing the overall bike capacity at our most-frequented stations. This change allows the balancing efforts from Angel activity to impact other stations in need.

 

As things improve, they also change, and staggered stations come with a bit of a learning curve. The main thing to remember is you’ll always fill the back row of docks with bikes first, and you’ll want to unlock bikes in the front row first. This ensures the station is optimized to allow as many riders to pick up and drop off bikes as possible. You’ll notice staggered stations have more docks that are split into two rows, and each row will be labeled and color-coded. 

Updated 2 years ago
Version 2.0
  • Ghostlight's avatar
    Ghostlight
    Resourceful Rider

    These docks are terrible.  I've had more docking and unlocking issues with them than I can count.  There needs to be a mechanism where you can't dock in B until all the As are taken.  Also there needs to be a separate ebike only section since it's not useful when all of the ebikes at a station are blocked and you're trying to get one.  Additionally, I haven't seen better balancing.  It just means more bikes can get stuck in one spot and there are even fewer in others.

  • jesspell215's avatar
    jesspell215
    Resourceful Rider

    unfortunately, no one can follow directions and empty A docks are often being blocked by 2 bikes in B docks! it's also frustrating when an ebike is docked in an A dock, and blocked by 2 bikes. 

  • andyberks's avatar
    andyberks
    Resourceful Rider

    Its impossible to dock a bike in a back row when the adjacent front rows are occupied. That's a problem. You can arrive at a station with "open" docks but not actually be able to dock a bike.