Looks like Google was feeling generous toward Boulder—and toward bike-sharing—this week. The company gave a $25,000 donation to B-cycle "as part of Google's commitment to support innovative ways for using Internet-based technology to reduce environmental impacts and improve the quality of life in the communities where it operates," Boulder B-cycle said in a press release. Google has an office in Boulder that develops revenue platforms for ads and digital online goods, Google Docs, Chrome, and Geographic projects.
Boulder B-cycle executive director Lewis Wolman said the donation will go a long way to help them reach their fundraising goal of $1 million by May. "It's also important validation when a company like Google gets behind a program like ours. We hope other Boulder-area businesses will be inspired to follow suit."
The program is expected to be up and running on May 20 with about 200 bikes at 25 docking stations. It'll work like other B-cycle (and similar bike-sharing) programs around the country—users buy a membership online or a 24-hour pass at any B-cycle station, and they're ready to start renting.