A few months ago, the vélib service was often considered chaotic, but it seems that the Olympics and the numerous efforts made by the company at that time have successfully breathed new life into the group's operations, which clearly doesn't plan to stop on this positive path. Indeed, Sylvain Raifaud, the president of the shared mobility metropolitan agency (formerly SAVM), has just announced the implementation of a good number of additional slots!
No more struggles!
We know that finding a place to lock up your Vélib' after a trip is often the worst of struggles. In some neighborhoods, it's impossible to find a single available spot within a 15-minute walk from your destination. Fortunately, thanks to this n.New measure, things could change faster than expected, since the bike-sharing management company has just announced the creation of 1500 new docking stations, spread out across different locations.
Le service @Velib @velib2018 à Paris aujourd'hui c'est ça : très peu de bornes. Et celles qui existent ne marchent pas. pic.twitter.com/5S8aMhaE4e
— Stitch🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@Stitcheuh) March 11, 2018
The goal is simple: to prepare for summer by expanding about a hundred stations by now. By selecting the most frequented stops in each district, Sylvain Raifaud hopes to limit the peak times at the stations, and achieve an average of «only 5% of empty stations or full ones ». This measure adds to the constant regulation carried out by the teams from The Agency and Smovengo, who spend their time crisscrossing Paris and its surroundings to redistribute bikes. And clearly, all these efforts are paying off, as they have moved from an average of 15 .0 stations frequently empty last year to only 60 in recent months.
More and more users
This decision comes at a perfect time, as the number of daily rides is set to reach 200,000, according to the group's estimates. And it doesn’t seem to stop there, as they hope to soon surpass the milestone of 500,000 subscribers, with two-thirds opting for paid plans (like V-Max and V-Plus, and not just the free V-Libre subscription where you only pay for your rides, the Liberté+ of Vélib).
Bof, de plus en plus de stations où imposssible de déposer un vélo (paris saint-émilion, ivry confluence…), vélo avec batteries HS…
— NAF (@nicotouch) February 1, 2025
Whatever happens, these new regulations are yet another challenge for the society, which we sincerely hope will overcome them, because 1) Vélib', it's really very convenient, but 2) spending hours searching for a bike or a spot is definitely less enjoyable. In any case, we’re all behind the society, which is now halfway through its contract signed in 2017 with the city of Paris, set to end in 2032. Let’s hope all these measures help them renew the lease!
