Gotcha Bike, MUSC set to roll with Charleston's first bike share

Charleston’s City Council recently granted Gotcha Bike the authority to create the city’s first large-scale, locally owned bike share. The Charleston-based company has forged an alliance with MUSC Health as the title partner to launch the service, which will provide a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to vehicular transportation.

The unique, specially engineered bikes will begin arriving on the peninsula in the spring.

“We are excited to be working with Gotcha to provide this extraordinary benefit to our citizens. Thanks to partnerships, like MUSC’s title partnership, the bike share system comes at no cost to the city and offers affordable rates for users. Just as important, as a local company, Gotcha understands the special character of our city and will work closely with us to make sure the system works for everyone,” said Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg.

Sean Flood, CEO of parent company The Gotcha Group, said, “We believe in providing Charleston with a safe, healthy and sustainable mode of transportation. Gotcha Bike is designed to be durable and maintenance-free, providing a clean, reliable and affordable transportation alternative for residents, workers, visitors and students on the peninsula.”

Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., MUSC Health CEO and vice president for Health Affairs, University, said the alliance between Gotcha and MUSC Health signals an important next phase in the health care provider’s strategy. “Building healthy communities is a pillar of our organization’s strategic plan,” he said. “Developing a partnership with Gotcha Bike is a natural step toward this important community health goal.”

Bicycling has numerous proven health benefits including increased activity and decreased pollution. In addition, since MUSC is the largest non-federal employer in the city, its leaders welcome the opportunity to augment its long-term partnerships with the City of Charleston. Adding a bike share to the MUSC campus improves access to the future greenway connecting MUSC to greater Charleston. The bike share also will support MUSC employee wellness and satisfaction.

Gotcha Bike plans to begin with 250 bikes available at 15 to 20 bike stations throughout the city. Three stations will be located on the MUSC campus, and additional locations will be announced in the coming weeks. All Gotcha Bikes will be assembled in Charleston.

The bikes dispatched through the historic city will be the nation’s smartest, thanks to Gotcha Bike’s partner, Social Bicycles, and its proprietary GPS technology that allows users to locate and access the bikes through a smartphone or computer. The integrated technology and flashing safety lights will be powered through a built-in solar panel and dynamo hub, giving riders real-time data from each bike ride, such as carbon dioxide emissions reduced, calories burned and money saved versus driving.

Participants can ride a bike anywhere, and even put the bike “on hold” if they would like to make a stop before ending their ride at a designated station. For an additional fee, users may end their ride beyond a dedicated station.

Flood said, “The bike share program in Charleston will give locals and visitors more options to move freely around the city.”

Currently, Gotcha Bike provides bike share programs at 18 college, residential and corporate sites across the nation. In many markets, the bike share unites riders with national brands that underwrite the service. Durability features of the specially made bikes include lightweight and rustproof aluminum frames, waterproof Kevlar seats and puncture-resistant tires, which offer a maintenance-free smart bike.