CORPUS CHRISTI, TX–(Marketwired – Aug 26, 2016) –  The City of Corpus Christi and Zagster, Inc. today launched an expansive new bike-share program that will provide all Corpus Christi’s residents and visitors with a convenient, affordable and healthy way to get around town.

Starting today, 40 cruiser bikes will be available at seven stations for members to use for on-demand, local trips. Riders — who must be 18 or older to join the program — can sign up for hourly, monthly or annual passes. Rides for monthly and annual members are free for the first two hours, and then three dollars per hour after that.

“We are very excited to launch the Bike Corpus Christi bike-share program, which will provide another convenient means to move customers around our downtown and provide an additional quality of life amenity to our residents,” said Terry Sweeney, executive director of the Corpus Christi Downtown Management District. “It’s great to be partnering with Zagster in this endeavor.”

Corpus Christi Downtown Management District (DMD), City of Corpus Christi and Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority (CCRTA) will unveil the program at a kickoff ceremony on the Corpus Christi Marina Peoples Street T-Head at 9:30 a.m., Friday, August 26. The event will include a ceremonial ribbon-cutting with remarks from DMD Executive Director Terry Sweeney, Mayor Nelda Martinez and City Councilor Carolyn Vaughn. Following the remarks, there will be a ceremonial ride on Zagster bikes around the T-Head.

The City of Corpus Christi, CCRTA and DMD provided funding to launch the bike share. Partnering with Zagster will allow the city to spearhead community outreach, connect with sponsors and bring on more partners to broaden the initial scope of the bike-share program.

“The joint effort to launch this program exemplifies the best of bike sharing in which multiple stakeholders come together to reach a common goal,” said Timothy Ericson, Zagster co-founder and CEO. “We’re thrilled to help Corpus Christi realize its goal of delivering a successful, impactful bike-share program to the entire community.”

Unlike other programs in which riders must drop off bikes at designated stations for every stop, Zagster’s programs gives users the freedom to ride as long as they want, wherever they want. And because Zagster manages all aspects of its programs — from bikes and technology, to maintenance and marketing — Zagster partners can create and deploy scalable bike-share systems that best suit their communities.

Riding Corpus Christi’s bike share is easy. Bikes can be found via the free Zagster Mobile App — available for iPhone and Android — or online at zagster.com/corpuschristi. Each bike has a unique number which riders enter into the app to obtain a single-use code to open the lockbox on the back of the bike. (Alternatively, riders can obtain unlock codes via text message.) A key, stored inside and tethered to the lockbox, allows the bike to be locked and unlocked throughout a ride. After the rider returns the bike to a designated Zagster bike station, the rental ends and the bike is available for the next person to enjoy.

Corpus Christi’s bike share features the Zagster 8, an award-winning bike known for its practical design, comfortable ride and easy handling. The bike includes a spacious basket that’s perfect for carrying groceries, takeout, or personal belongings. And because rider safety is a priority, every bike includes automatic lights, a bell and full reflectors.

About Zagster 
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Zagster is the fastest-growing bike-share provider in the United States. Zagster works directly with over 130 communities across North America to make scalable bike-sharing programs available in areas where traditional bike-share providers can’t reach. 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

About Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi is a coastal city located in South Texas on the Gulf of Mexico. It has a population of approximately 320,000, making it the eighth largest city in Texas. It is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and Corpus Christi Army Depot. The Port of Corpus Christi is the 5^th largest port in the U.S. There are numerous projects underway transforming Corpus Christi, including $35 billion of port projects, a $1 billion new Harbor Bridge and more than $600 million of downtown projects.