Cycling Visionaries Awards - Project Details

Tel-O-Porter

Tel-O-Porter is a shared bike trailer that will boost Bike Sharing Schemes (BSS) and private bike use in cities around the world. It is an add-on solution to an already existing BSS and its purpose is transportation of various goods by bike. The trailer can be rented at any BSS rental station across the city and easily hitch to a shared or private bike and even be carried by hand as a "carry all"

The Concept
The Bike Sharing Schemes (BSS) is becoming more popular and wide-spread around the world. Developing a bike trailer in a similar concept can allow overcoming most barriers that prevent cyclists using bicycle for the transport of goods and prefer motorized transportation for that. The concept is to enable a "use by need" approach that will allow an available trailer when required, that hitches easily to the bike and can carry a wide range of goods by having a high volume and heavy load-carry design and capability. The fact that it is shared, makes it the ideal "door opener" to the transport of goods by bike.

The solution
Tel-O-Porter is a shared bike trailer. It is an add-on solution to an already existing BSS. The trailer can be rented at any BSS rental station across the city and easily hitch to a shared or private bike (adding a generic connecting latch) and even be carried by hand as a "carry all", in supermarkets for example. The main purpose of the Tel-O-Porter is transport of groceries and running errands, but it is also ideal for transporting work-related and leisure activities equipment. It is rugged and durable enough to withstand harsh weather and heavy use strains.
The trailer can integrate seamlessly into the existing BSS infrastructure (i.e. docking stations, transporting vehicles etc.) so that no special infrastructure modification is needed.
 
Key Features
Capacity: 45 Kg
Cargo space: 90 liters
Latch: fast, intuitive and easy to use latch will be mounted on all shared bikes. Private bike users will need to install a generic latch on their bikes to use the service.
Safety measures: frame strength, impact, structural integrity in rollover, tip-over resistance, coupling security and reflector placement makes the Tel-O-Porter a very safe trailer.
Theft: heavy duty coded lock to secure the trailer for short periods during rent. A distinct appearance makes the trailer easily identifiable and discourages attempts to steal and repaint units.
Advertising spaces in the front and rear of the trailer.

Beneficiaries
End users:
Good value for money: low initial cost, pay per use (depending on the chosen payment model)
Cost savings: less use of private car\ public transportation
Time savings: in many cases, it is faster to use a bike in the city than motorized transportation
Positive and healthy physical exercise
Flexibility of use and accessibility: wide spread of stations across the city
No need for storage space
No risk of theft
No maintenance hassle

Politician and planners:
Improves the city image
Increase in overall cycling
Increase in BSS users and overall BSS rentals
Increase in local business traffic

BSS operators:
Increase in BSS users
Increase of market share- private bike users, elderly users, green shoppers, household shoppers
New, dynamic and target-oriented (supermarkets etc.) advertising space
Low investment costs: the infrastructure already exists and running
Low running costs: no complicated systems, low maintenance
Increased visibility around the city

Local retailers:
Increase in costumers and in total sale per visit
Save on costs for parking spaces
Brings more business for central located small businesses with parking problems such as farmers market etc.