Zagster, the company selected by the City of Knoxville to manage its planned bike sharing system, has begun the process of seeking sponsorship and underwriting for the program throughout the greater Knoxville area. Corporate, organization and individual sponsorships are needed to launch and scale a bike share system expected to launch in late 2017, with subsequent deployments to surrounding areas made over the following months based on ridership and usage data.
Kim Bumpas, President of Visit Knoxville, states “This project is perfect as Knoxville is such a bike friendly town. Whether you want to explore the city and grab a bite to eat or add exercise to your morning commute, we are excited to offer this to our community as well as visitors.”
“The Zagster Bike Share is the perfect addition to the host of great ways to get out and play in Knoxville. We have an exceptional greenway system and an increasing number of bike lanes and bike routes, so this easily accessible fleet of rental bikes will make it so much easier for both locals and visitors to enjoy the abundance of fun spots we have in our city... and sneak in a workout, too,” says Carol Evans, Executive Director Legacy Parks Foundation.
Ahead of the program’s scheduled launch, Zagster and Visit Knoxville have begun outreach to interested parties who recognize the civic, community and business value in bike-share sponsorship and who share Knoxville’s vision for and commitment to building a vibrant city. Toward that end, Zagster and Visit Knoxville will host an informational outreach event on Monday, September 18, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. at Alliance Brewing Co. (1130 Sevier Avenue Knoxville, TN 37920) to speak with potential sponsors and discuss the next-gen bike-share technology coming to the city. Visit Knoxville and Zagster are seeking multiple sponsors for several levels of commitment.
Zagster will manage everything involved in Knoxville’s bike sharing program, including hardware, software, maintenance, rider support and local promotion. Zagster bikes feature an app-based interface and the first Bluetooth ring locking technology used in North American bike sharing to provide a simple, streamlined rider experience.
“We’ve heard from residents and visitors alike that they would like to see this amenity in Knoxville,” says Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero. “Bike sharing will help them explore our great city or simply get to and from their favorite places. We are excited to host these stations throughout the city and are looking forward to working with Zagster and their team.”
“Bike sharing helps build strong communities and strong communities help bike-sharing programs thrive,” said Timothy Ericson, Zagster co-founder and CEO. “Zagster has proven experience building collaborative funding partnerships that unite communities around bike-sharing’s mutual benefits and goals, and we’re excited to begin that process here in Knoxville.”
In cities like Knoxville, Zagster has secured bike-share sponsorships from a range of sources — including businesses, nonprofits, civic organizations, real estate developers, museums and breweries, among others. That includes a robust sponsorship network of more than 30 local organizations in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
About Zagster
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Zagster is the leading provider of private and public-private bike-sharing systems in the United States, operating more than 200 programs in more than 35 states. Zagster’s efficient business model allows the company to successfully deploy turnkey programs in multiple markets, including cities, suburbs, universities, commercial campuses and residential properties. Zagster manages all aspects of its programs — from bikes and technology, to maintenance and marketing — enabling Zagster’s partners to create and deploy scalable bike-share systems that best suit their communities. The company’s goal: To make the bike the most loved form of transportation.
More information about Zagster and its programs can be found at www.zagster.com.