BikeWalkKC to demonstrate upcoming bike share system "Kansas City B-Cycle" at First Friday in the Crossroads

Kansas City, MO May 31, 2012

Media Contacts
Sarah Shipley
BikeWalkKC
shipleycommunications@gmail.com
202.577.7141

Holly Eckold
For BikeWalkKC
heckold@morningstarcomm.com
913.660.9656

BikeWalkKC to demonstrate upcoming bike share system "Kansas City B-Cycle" at First Friday in the Crossroads

First opportunity for Kansas Citians to purchase an annual B-Cycle membership

Kansas City, MO –BikeWalkKC will demonstrate Kansas City's upcoming bike share system, "Kansas City B-Cycle," (formerly BikeShareKC) at First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District on June 1. First Friday visitors can learn about Kansas City B-Cycle, ride bike share bicycles and test a bike dock kiosk from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. outside of Missouri Bank, located at 125 Southwest Boulevard. Visitors will also have the opportunity to be the first in the city to buy a Kansas City B-Cycle annual membership card.

Kansas City B-Cycle, created by a partnership between BikeWalkKC and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (BlueKC), aims to change the face of transportation in Kansas City by offering an environmentally friendly, healthy and accessible way for residents and visitors to get around the city. Launching the first week of July, the system will offer an alternative public transportation option for short trips around the city, with 12 bike stations at popular downtown locations, including River Market and Crown Center. Users can check out a bicycle at one of the 12 kiosks and return the bicycle after their commute to any other kiosk within the system.

The First Friday demonstration on June 1 is the first time Kansas Citians have the opportunity to purchase an annual membership for unlimited rides, priced at $65. The recipient will receive a card similar to a credit card that will be inserted into the kiosk. If a membership card is not purchased, people can use a credit card to pay for rides. Pricing is determined by the length of the ride. If you keep your ride to less than 30 minutes, it is free. Other pricing options will include a weekly and monthly pass.

Kansas City B-Cycle aims to fill gaps within the current transportation system including solving the issue of the "final mile" of a commute. The bikes and kiosks will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at least nine months out of the year. A smartphone app will allow riders to find bikes and station availability in real time.

The bike share system provides environment and health benefits, improving air quality and encouraging physical activity. The bikes will be equipped with a tracker to allow riders to track their miles, calories burned and carbon dioxide savings.

"At Blue KC we are proud to support this sustainable form of transportation that helps Kansas City residents navigate the city while improving their health," said David Gentile, President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.

Blue KC has taken the lead in providing initial sponsorship funding for the system, but Kansas City B-Cycle seeks additional sponsors to provide needed funding before the launch. Interested sponsors can visit http://bikesharekc.com for more information.

"Excitement is building in preparation for this healthy, sustainable form of transportation launching in just one month in our city," said BikeWalkKC Executive Director Eric Rogers. "Regular riders will come from our city's core so we are thrilled to give First Friday visitors the first chance to purchase an annual membership."

About BikeWalk KC

BikeWalkKC is the unified voice for active living, promoting a healthy, safe and accessible outdoor experience for all in a vibrant, engaged community. BikeWalkKC is a member-supported organization that works to make Greater Kansas City a safer and more accessible place to walk, bicycle, live, work, and play. The advocacy programs work with local cities to improve policies and build sidewalks, trails, crosswalks, bike lanes, and more. BikeWalkKC's education programs give people the knowledge and skills to walk and to bicycle safely and confidently for transportation, recreation, and fitness. Learn more at BikeWalkKC.org.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938. *Ranked by J.D. Power and Associates in 2012 as "Highest Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Heartland Region," Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City provides health coverage services to more than one million residents in the greater Kansas City area, including Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and 30 counties in Northwest Missouri. Our mission: to use our role as the area's leading health insurer to provide affordable access to health care and to improve the health and wellness of our members. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on the company, visit its website at BlueKC.com.

* Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City received the highest numerical score among commercial health plans in the Heartland region (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska) in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Member Health Plan Study^SM. Study based on 32,868 total member responses, measuring nine plans in the Heartland Region (excludes Medicare and Medicaid). Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of members surveyed December 2011-January 2012. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

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