MINNEAPOLIS — Closed signs are common sights this spring. Another sign of the season is bicycles, and Minneapolis allowed a bikeshare rental company, Nice Ride, to be open.
“I just ride around the lake with it,” said Arielle Green.
The nurse tech says she rents the bikes for self-care.
“As long as I wipe it down and I have my mask on, I feel pretty safe,” she said.
On April 13, Lyft - the company that operates Nice Ride - said they have placed bikes all over the city.
“Trying to get a little fresh air, and keep my old body in some kind of shape,” said Bill Fox, who was riding near Stone Arch Bridge.
You don’t have to return the bike to the same spot you rented it from. So, people can transport themselves around the city. The people we spoke with were using Nice Ride bikes for fun, but the owner of Perennial Cycle says you should consider them another form of public transportation.
“It’s an extremely valuable thing right now, because it is so much safer than so many of our alternatives,” said Luke Breen, Perennial’s owner, referring to the light rail and bus.
A spokesperson for the city of Minneapolis says transportation for things like groceries is essential, and the bikes increase options for people to travel safely. Lyft says their employees sanitize the bikes when they return to their warehouses.
“I really like the idea that Nice Ride is available for people to use right now,” said Breen
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