Relaunch of the Day: Rio de Janiero's Bike Share Program

Rio de Janiero just re-launched its bike share program. It has a new name, "Bike Rio," a new look (the bikes, aptly nicknamed 'oranges' are, yes, bright orange) and, organizers hope, a new and improved chance of survival. Pedalo Rio, the city's 2009 stab, didn't go so well. This comparison should tell you why:

Number of 'Bike Pedalo' bikes stolen in the first 15 days: 56
Number of 'Bike Rio' bikes stolen in the first 15 days: 0

It was shut down a year later. The city's changed a lot about the program in the last year, modeling it after programs in Amsterdam and Paris. Here are some data points on the new plan:

Number of stations: 35
Number of stations planned for the end of the year: 60
Number of bikes: 600

And some stats on why the program might be a good thing:

Percent of Brazilians who use public transportation: 66
Percent of Brazilians who use a private car: 13

Numbers courtesy of SmartGrowth.