A few weeks ago, a new CoGo bike station was installed right here at Capital University. The station is located right across the street from the Capital Center on the corner of East Mound Street and Pleasant Ridge Avenue. This recent installation marks the fourth CoGo station in Bexley, with other stations located at Bexley City Hall, Grandon Avenue, and Main St., as well as Jeffrey Park on Clifton Avenue. So what exactly is CoGo, and is it worth giving a shot? Both will be discussed below.
What is CoGo?
CoGo is a bike-sharing service that started in Columbus in July of 2013. The program started off with a network of 300 bikes spread across 30 stations and has since grown to include 365 bikes spread across 46 stations. Most of the stations are centered in and around downtown, but more and more are popping up in new areas, such as Grandview Heights, parts of Upper Arlington, University District, as well as our own community here in Bexley. The service is just one of many bike-sharing services launching around the country, with similar services already up and going in places like New York City, Chicago, Boston, and even overseas in Melbourne, Australia.
How does it Work?
CoGo works on an annual membership system. For $75 a year, you can get unlimited 30-minute bike trips from any CoGo bike station. You can also purchase a day pass, with unlimited 30-minute bike passes for 24 hours, or a 3-day pass that works in a similar fashion with 30-minute rides. You can purchase passes online or at the actual CoGo station itself using a credit or debit card. Once purchasing, you will be granted a member code. You can punch this in at any station to unlock a bike to use for your trip. If you buy a membership, you can alternatively get a membership key to use at any bike station. Once you are finished riding, you must dock your bike at any CoGo station that has an available bike slot. If you use a bike for more than the 30 minutes, you will be charged an extra fee per every additional 30 minutes.
Worth noting, CoGo suggests using this mobile app. It will show you all bike stations, as well as additional useful transit information. This app also covers other services, such as COTA, Uber, Lyft, pretty much any ridesharing service can be found on this transit app.
Is it Worth it?
I personally have not tried the service. It seems like it could be useful for those on campus who don’t have a car and want to get around, or for those who want to buddy up and go on an adventure. I know that nearby there is the Alum Creek Greenway Trail which links up with the larger Metro Parks Greenway Trails network that can take you all around Central Ohio. I would say check out competitors Lime or Bird, which are scooter ride-sharing services, but they have been banned on sidewalks in many parts of Columbus. So, if you don’t want to Uber or ride in a car or bus, it looks like this may be your best bet. I would like to see many more CoGo stations pop up around Bexley, as this would allow for more possibilities for trips using the service. Also, a student discount would be a great idea.
For any and all information on CoGo, check out their website here.
Additional references:
https://www.columbusunderground.com/locations-revealed-for-26-new-cogo-stations-bw1
https://www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/programs/CoGo-Bike-Share-Program/
http://gobexley.com/metro-parks-bike-path/
https://www.dispatch.com/news/20180911/columbus-bans-scooters-on-sidewalks
