By Julie Shapiro
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — The city is close to awarding a contract for New York's first bike-share program, Crain's New York Business reported Thursday.
The city has zeroed in on two or three potential operators and will make a decision in time to launch a bike-share pilot this summer, Crain's reported.
The program would allow people to pick up a bike for a small fee and then return it to any one of about 600 kiosks in Manhattan south of 60th Street, Crain's reported.
There will likely be a variety of membership plans and cyclists may be able to make some short trips for free.
Two of the finalists are Alta Bicycle Share and B-Cycle, while a third possible contender is BYKNYC, Crain's reported.
The DOT hopes to do a pilot with about 10,000 bicycles this summer and expand the program from there.
The idea is modeled on bike-share programs in Paris, Washington, DC and other cities, but here the operator would be expected to shoulder the entire cost, without help from the government.
A Department of Transportation report in 2009 found that the city could see many benefits from bike-sharing, including improvements to the environment and people's health.
The DOT declined to comment Thursday.
