Columbus' 3-Year-Old Bike-Share Faces Falling Ridership

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — A southern Indiana city's bike-share program has cut its expenses and is weighing other changes in hopes of reversing its falling ridership.

The Columbus Park Foundation launched the ColumBIKE program in May 2016 in the city about 50 miles south of Indianapolis.

ColumBIKE Director Dick Boyce says the bike-share sold 79 memberships in its first year, but just 15 of the $80 annual passes have sold this year. The program's completed bike trips have fallen from nearly 3,000 in its first year to just 1,200 so far this year.

The Republic reports the program moved from rented space to a city-owned building to save money and officials are eyeing other changes.

The bike-share costs about $70,000 a year to operate. It's funded by private donations to the Columbus Park Foundation.