Wednesdays are for biking -- at least, they are for the month of August.
Bike Share Toronto is offering Torontonians the chance to rent a bike for free every Wednesday this month, starting August 7. This is the third year straight that free bike rides have been offered in the city thanks to the sponsorship of CAA South Central Ontario.
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“As Toronto continues to grow, it’s vital that we keep people moving,” Mayor John Tory said in a statement. “Free Ride Wednesdays is a great opportunity to explore the city and encourage more people to use this important service.”
There are 5,000 bikes available for rent at 465 bike share stations in Toronto, CTV reports. Torontonians are encouraged to visit the Bike Share Toronto website or download the CycleFinder app to find a station near them.
Bikes can only be rented out for 30 minutes at a time. That means cyclists must return the rental within that time period, or else they will be charged. Once returned, they can rent it again for free for another 30 minutes.
Cyclists who want to take advantage of the free rental should select “Buy A Pass” and “$0 One-Day” at the kiosk.
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Bike-sharing has become increasingly popular. More than 1.2 million rides were taken by the end of July, Tory said in a release. “This is the fastest the system has hit the one-million-ride milestone in a year,” he said.
Free Ride Wednesdays aren’t just a convenient way for Torontonians to get around the city and stay healthy. It's also a great way to cut down the city's carbon footprint.
The City of Toronto has been making efforts to be more green, such as by introducing zero-emission electric buses and debating whether or not to impose a tax on single-use takeaway containers to reduce waste. The free bike share rentals are just another addition to this.
