LINK Dayton bike-share program to suspend operations next month

Eric Wright, Chris Lialios and Stetson Blake (front to rear) checked out bicycles from the Link Dayton Bike Share in downtown Dayton to ride from their office to Brown Street to have lunch. LISA POWELL / STAFF 2015 FILE PHOTO

Credit: Lisa Powel

Credit: Lisa Powel

Eric Wright, Chris Lialios and Stetson Blake (front to rear) checked out bicycles from the Link Dayton Bike Share in downtown Dayton to ride from their office to Brown Street to have lunch. LISA POWELL / STAFF 2015 FILE PHOTO

LINK Dayton Bikeshare is suspending operations next month after nine years of providing an alternative form of transportation because of financial challenges.

Bike Miami Valley said LINK faces the same kinds of issues as other bike-share programs across the country, such as rising costs and difficulty obtaining insurance coverage.

Launched in May 2015, LINK bike riders have taken more than 120,000 trips on the bikes. Bike Miami Valley, the nonprofit that runs the program, says LINK has served more than 66,700 unique users.

Bike Miami Valley’s Link: Dayton Bike Share program kicked off Bike Month with a new addition to its fleet with one of the eight bikes sponsored by Thompson Hine sporting a custom design – Contributed Bike Miami Valley

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LINK currently has 38 stations that are located in and around the greater downtown area. There are stations near the University of Dayton campus and in East and West Dayton.

Bike Miami Valley says LINK primarily relies on donors and sponsorships for its funding and ridership fees account for a small part of its revenue.

Bike Miami Valley says LINK is “open to other possibilities for the continuation of the LINK Dayton Bike Share system, including a transition to another community partner.”

Link has 37 hubs and has eLink electric bikes as well as traditional bikes - CONTRIBUTED

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Bike Miami Valley says LINK will suspend operations on Sept. 30.

Downtown offers a variety of ways to get around. LINK had electric-powered bikes.

But there are also scooters people can rent, and there’s the Flyer, a free shuttle bus that travels from downtown to UD campus. A new electric cart service launched last weekend that provides short trips in and around downtown. Uber and Lyft provide ride-share services.