Zagster bike sharing service wants to be an amenity

There are services around the country that let people share cars or rent cars on the fly such as Zipcar. In some highly populated areas with lots of traffic a car is often far from the most efficient way to get where you're going. People that need to travel a longer distance often prefer to use a bicycle over walking. This is where new startup called Zagster comes in.

Zagster, previously known as CityRyde, is aiming its service at people who are commuting longer distances one way. There are competing services already in some markets for shorter two-way trips. Interestingly, the bicycles that are loaned to users by Zagster are free to the end user. The company hopes to be an amenity used by apartment complexes and businesses to lure in workers and residents.

Zagster would charge the business or apartment complex a monthly fee for bicycles, maintenance, and a distribution center. The fee is $100 per month for each bike, and the user would reserve the bikes online and then unlock the bike from the distribution center on the property using a smartphone. The company thinks that its service should be an amenity just like a pool or gym. Would this sort of service make you want to live or work somewhere it was offered over somewhere similar without free bikes?

[via Gigaom]