NORTHAMPTON — The Pioneer Valley’s regional bike-sharing program, ValleyBike Share, will remain open through winter with a reduced number of operational bikes and stations.
Shannon Bliven, who runs marketing and community outreach at ValleyBike, said last year was the first time the business experimented with keeping its bikes operational all winter.
“We did a test last year. We actually did really well,” she said.
There will be a reduced number of bikes available to riders than during the summer months, as Bliven shared that the goal is to have four operational bikes per station.
Some stations, including the ones on Jackson Street, State Street, and the Mass Rail Trail in Northampton will be “hibernating” until next spring, with the possibility of more stations joining that list as the season progresses.
The public will be notified on ValleyBike’s social media and website when extreme weather conditions, such as snowstorms, ice storms and intense cold spells, will force bike use to temporarily shut down.
To unlock bikes for use, riders can use the official ValleyBike mobile app for iOS and Android or a fob available with membership and registration which can be found at www.valleybike.org or on the app.
The winter hours of operation are 24/7 and customer service lines will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day through the season.
Bliven said that since people are starting to ride more as a form of transportation, ValleyBike has a growing ridership that makes winter operations a good option.
“It’s just amazing how it’s been accepted into communities,” she said.