Parking Space

Iconoculture: Reservations and convenience services widen the range of possibilities for those who use pedal power. Why fight the crowd at the bike rack? Clancy Systems International’s Bicycle Parking Network allows bikers to use their cellphones to reserve and pay for bike storage. Users locate available lockers online and then use their cells to reserve space and retrieve access codes for drop-off and pickup. Customer accounts are linked to cell numbers, enabling automatic monthly billing. Lockers cost $2 per day, plus a 10% “convenience fee.” The service is available in Denver, at UCLA, and at select stations of San Francisco’s BART and Los Angeles’ Metropolitan Transit Authority systems. As bicycling continues to roll as a viable commuting alternative, services and amenities that cater to bikers’ special needs – like parking stations with showers and changing rooms and valet bike parking – are going to become more important. Bikers dial up for quick and easy ways to protect their bicycle investment.
Ring Up A Rack Spot [Iconoculture]