BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – The Beckley Welcome Center is now offering a bike-share program.
The bikes have been available for the past week and the city hosted an official ribbon cutting for the new program this Thursday. There are five bikes available to rent at the Beckley Welcome Center near McManus Trail.
According to the volunteer director at the welcome center, the idea was pitched some time ago to the city and has finally gotten off the ground.
The Welcome Center believes it will be a big improvement for both locals and tourists alike.
“Y’know when you go to other cities and you see bikes everywhere,” Volunteer Director Vickey Webb said. And we thought it would be a good idea for Beckley to have a bike share, so we can have tourists coming in and have something to do in the City of Beckley.”
This is a bike-share program, more than just your typical rental. You download an app called On Bike Share. From there, you can pick any bike available and start riding immediately.
“You download the app, put your credit card information in. Then you pick what bike you want to ride. The bike you pick will automatically unlock, then you ride and bring it back.”
Because the program is still in the early stages, the bikes are completely free to use for the time being. The app requests your credit card information as a security measure to make sure the bike is brought back.
And although there are only five bikes available right now, officials are hopeful to see the program expand.
“This is a pilot program. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get more bike shares around the city.”
The bikes are available for public use right now and can be found next to the Beckley Welcome Center.
