Riding a bike became, as a result of the pandemic, a more common practice in Mexico City, just by looking at the number of cyclists who congregate on Sunday walks, and the figures of the companies that sell accessories and bicycles to know that this means of transport has become common in the metropolis.
In addition, the Ministry of Mobility of Mexico City (Semovi) has the goal of having 600 kilometers of cycling infrastructure by 2024, almost double the 322 kilometers that currently exist, in addition to the 65 kilometers that are under construction, but each Once there are fewer options for companies that provide alternative transportation services. At least those that operate legally.
And in fact it is something that has been noticed in the CDMX, since it is less and less common to see bicycles parked in the areas of the polygon that the Semovi designated, only Dezba and EcoBici operate legally in the city, however Mobike remains the same. itinerant way.
“I would still say that there are still three participants, because Mobike continues to operate in a very irregular way, it is intermittent, which generates unfair competition. From one day to the next more bicycles appear that we do not know where they come from. Although in general Dezba has done very well, since we have a sponsor, which guarantees a subsidy for users ”, Karina Licea, Dezba co-founder, told Expansión.
While Jump, Grin, Movo or Lime have gradually left the capital infrastructure, Mobike still has bicycles in the capital that appear and work in the application.
Juan González, a user who works near Lomas de Chapultepec and was a client of these apps, says that Mobike bicycles appear intermittently and he uses them as a means of transport, between the metrobus and his workplace, but in case if not found, use Dezba’s mechanical option.
“What we have to look for is that this type of sponsorship is maintained to guarantee Dezba’s business, in the end we are betting on sustainable mobility and I think we are betting well, since many are looking for these alternatives in the post-pandemic,” says Licea .
The Dezba directive specifies that they are thinking of investing in more bicycles, however, the expansion is not so massive, or at least not of the total of places that were left free in the Semovi tender.
“From the outset we have not had the need to expand the polygon and we have some exercises such as expanding to the Buenavista area, this because the Suburbano sought us out and we agreed to have units in the area. And something that also happened with Semovi was that we renewed the second permit without paying a peso, because in the first regulation it had been a much more aggressive amount, “said Licea.
Ecobici has 480 cycle stations and more than 6,800 bicycles spread over 55 neighborhoods in the capital, covering an area of 38 square kilometers. It also has 28 stations and 340 vehicles that make up the new system of assisted pedaling electric bicycles. The expectation is that by 2024 this company will have 10,000 bikes in operation, according to Andrés Lajous, Secretary of Mobility of Mexico City.
However, the ideal is that this path for a more sustainable mobility is equitable.
“The idea is that the cities subsidize the system in some way, that they invest in infrastructure and an effective bike culture,” said Licea.
