OCCK Transportation is re-launching KANcycle, the regional bike sharing program that serves north central Kansas communities including Mankato. KANcycle has been closed since the end of March because of COVID. The relaunch is planned for Sept. 11.

KANcycle, a program of OCCK Transportation, was started in June of 2019 with 80 bikes spread across 16 stations in eight counties with locations in Salina, Minneapolis, Concordia, Belleville, Mankato, Beloit, Lincoln and Ellsworth.

All locations will continue to be in existence. Customers will now need to use the Movatic cell phone app to access the bikes.

“We are so excited to bring the bikes back online. We know people across all of the communities have been missing riding the bikes. 2020 has been an interesting year for all of us,” said Michelle Griffin, director of mobility management for north central Kansas.

Riders join the program by signing up for annual memberships or utiltize a pay-as-you-go plan. Annual memberships will be $30 with trips under one hour being free; student annual memberships will be $20 with trips under one hour being free; and pay-as-you-go will be $1.50 for every 30 minutes.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is making another contribution to provide bikes and marketing support for the second year of the KANcycle program, with the intention of helping the program grow in coming years.

“For more than 75 years, we’ve made helping Kansans lead healthier lives one of our top priorities,” said Virginia Barnes, director, Blue Health Initiatives. “Bike share encourages both active living and provides a means for community members to access resources they need to stay healthy. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is proud to serve as primary sponsor for KANcycle and we look forward to helping grow the program in the next few years.”

Movatic manages all aspects of its bike-share programs - from bikes and technology, to maintenance and fleet rebalancing. Riding KANcycle bike share is easy. Bikes can be found via the free Movatic Mobile App - available for iPhone and Android. Each bike has a unique number which riders enter into the app to unlock the bike. After the rider returns the bike to a designated Movatic bike station, the rental ends and the bike is available for the next person to enjoy.