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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA 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 said the bike-share group sold 79 memberships in its first year, but that fell to 40 in 2017, and 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 this year through July 24.
The program moved from rented space to a city-owned building to save money and officials are eyeing other changes, The Republic reported.
The program costs about $70,000 a year to operate. It's funded by private donations to the Columbus Park Foundation.
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