Santa Monica Launches Bike Sharing Program

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com) — Bike riding in Santa Monica will no longer be just a beach activity, as the city's bike sharing program takes off Thursday.

Breeze Bike Share, which is owned by the city of Santa Monica and operated by CycleHop, will provide 500 bright green bicycles at 75 stations throughout the city and select location in nearby Venice.

Each bicycle is GPS-enabled, so they can actually be dropped off at any bike rack. Users looking for a ride can also download the Social Bicycles app to find the nearest Breeze Bike.

"It's going to be a wonderful way to get around the whole city," Francie Stefan, Santa Monica's strategic and transportation planning manager, said.

Would-be riders can pay for each individual trip at $1 per 10 minutes, or pay a discounted monthly or annual membership rate.

Register to become a member at www.breezebikeshare.com or through the Social Bicycles app for iOS and Android.