The factors involved - Feasibility

There are a myriad factors involved in getting this project running. We need to brainstorm on these to come up with the optimal solutions. These factors could be classified as below:

• Research and planning - Look at other similar schemes and capture the information on the logistics, modes of operation, pros and cons, security donsiderations etc. To organise the ideas that come up on the mailing lists. To evolve action plans based on the same, and to collate and unify the plans on the various facets of the project.
  

• Government approval - The authorities and BBMP need to approve not only the project, but also sanction real estate for the cycle stands, and make possible cycle lanes etc. We need to figure out the modalities of legal tender as well
  
• Police approval - From Traffic police and the regular city police - Traffic and security considerations
  
• Funding - Budgeting, listing of sources and sinks for funds
  
• Cycle stands - Ideas, design and locations / logistics, contacting companies, manufacturers of smart card solutions
  
• Cycles - make, durability, maintenance
  
• Infrastructure for membership - ID systems, automation
• Security - From vandalism, theft
• Logistics of rental mechanism - Card systems, banking systems, address and ID proofs etc

A lot of these fields will morph, and new fields will crop up in time, and will be updated in this entry. This entry will also be linked to posts on the individual fields as those posts are written...

A good old to-do list

This is a non-exhaustive list of things that need to be done, at a superficial level. New items (I presume) will keep piling up. This post will be updated with a link to a document that has the tasks classified and broken down. There would also be a status update on each item as time flits by, and the volunteers taking on these responsibilities will also be listed wherever appropriate.

1. Ideas and planning
2. Funding, budget and finance
3. Govt. contacts and approvals, tenders, legalities and procedures
4. General contacts, co-ordination with bodies like Bangalore Bikers Club and Janaagraha
5. Volunteer organisation and communication
6. Media and publicity
7. Research into existing systems
8. Bicycle manufacturer contact and tie ups
9. Companies to handle logistics : Cards, database, stations, bike dist...
10. Surveys and studies for usability / feasibility
11. Online information system and portal
12. Contact and liaison with Traffic Police and regular Police

Freewheeling - Bangalore : The concept

Bangalore is involved in a typically Bangalore-ish conundrum... it's roads are clogged, and public transport is inadequate, at best. What we perhaps need, is a public-personal transport system that is usable at the commuters' convenience.
Freewheeling is a project conceptualised to deal with one possible solution to the current scenario. It involves a community biking scheme similar to Velib ( Wikipedia entry, Official site) in Paris, France or Stockholm City Bikes (Wikipedia entry, Official site) in Stockholm, Sweden.
There would be a rental scheme where the end user can get a membership over a time period. The biking system consists of biking stations spread across the city. A person can borrow a cycle from Station A, cycle upto station B and leave it there. He can then take another cycle from Stn B to Stn C. Then he can do whatever he wants at C, and take another bicyle from Stn C back to Stn A. There would be a safety deposit per customer, and time based validity packages. There could also be a rental fee everytime a bike is taken out. The advantages of this scheme are:
1) Decongestion of urban traffic, especially if car users take to biking.
2) Reduced pollution
3) Health benefits for those using the scheme
4) Publicity at the local level leading to civic consciousness
5) Publicity at the global level about Bangalore and the stand it's taking
More details will unfurl on this blog, including the results of brainstorming sessions, and status updates and information about progress being made... if you're interested in hearing about this project, or have ideas to contribute, get on to the mailing list at freewheeling-bangalore@googlegroups.com. If you would like to volunteer to work on it, mail in at freewheelingblr@gmail.com ... You could also leave comments on the blog for any feedback about the blog itself.