The BalticBike system was developed in response to the growing demand and expectations of tourists to increase ways of mobility in the tourism region.
In 2009, the system started with 20 bikes and developed from the idea of a single rental place for the needs of a hotel. To reach the threshold of profitability, the system significantly increases its scales. At present, the system has about 900 bicycles and realizes about 40 000 bike rentals per year. The first rental stations were built in the city of Świnoujście, now bicycles are available in the towns of Międzyzdroje and Kamień Pomorski. The extension to other coastal cities is planned. The rental company operates almost all year round (after summer season mostly serves organized groups and guests of hotels and guesthouses). Thanks to the well-developed technical base, the company can bring bicycles and necessary equipment to the indicated address.
The system offers good quality bicycles (for adults and children) as well as a wide range of equipment: children's seats, bicycle trailers, bicycle trolleys for seniors or people with disabilities, youth bikes (8-10 years) for family trips.
BalticBike.pl is also a partner of the German company UsedomRad, which is the operator of the network and maintenance-free bicycle rental system: NextBike. Thanks to this cooperation, you can plan a cross-border journey (eg. from Świnoujście to Ahlbeck or Heringsdorf).
Resources needed
For the project development, the BalticBike system received in 2013 an EU funding of 300 000 PLN (ąprox. 80 000 €) from the EFR - European Fisheries Fund (with the requirement of 50 % co-funding from own resources). In total, the project development cost nearly 700 000 PLN (190,000 €).
Evidence of success
BalticBike system is profitable and does not receive any subsidies or financial support from public funds. A certain view of the company's development can be given by the number of rentals in particular years. In 2010, the first full year of operation, number of rentals reached 4 250. In 2016 BalticBike registered around 36 300. Despite relying on a manned rentals stations (more staff required), in 2016, BalticBike registered twice more rentals than the neighbouring maintenance-free system.
Difficulties encountered
One of the main problems is the seasonality issue faced by most of the entities operating in the service sector at the seaside. During the season, BalticBike must generate enough profit to sustain the operating through the rest of the year.
Potential for learning or transfer
The BalticBike.pl system actively cooperates with the German company UsedomRad, which is the operator of the unmanned (maintenance-free) bicycle rental network on the German side. Companies, despite their similar profile, do not compete with each other, but try to combine their offer. Thanks to this, for example, bikes of the UsedomRad system can be given back at the BalticBike stations, while the BalticBike system borrows UsedomRad electric bikes on the Polish side for testing the possibility of their implementation in the area.
BalticBike example shows, that it is possible to develop a cooperation model even for entities with a similar profile of activity (potentially competing) so that it provides benefits for each of the parties.
Tags: Sustainable
