How to launch bike-sharing in a new city in 90 days (without building software)

Why most operators take 18 months (and why that kills you)

The classic mistake when launching a new bike-sharing service: wanting to build the software from scratch. Result: 18 months, €1–2M of investment, 3 pivots and, by the time you reach the market, your competitors are already entrenched.

There's a much faster route: license Fleet OS and focus on what differentiates you (the local operation).

The 90-day plan, step by step

Days 1–15: Legal setup + Fleet OS agreement

• Incorporation of the local operating company.
• Signing of the Fleet OS licence agreement.
• Initial technical onboarding.

Days 15–30: Negotiation with the city council

In Spain, almost every city requires a licence to operate public bike-sharing. This is the most unpredictable phase. Tip: start with secondary cities (50k–200k inhabitants) where the administration is more agile.

Days 30–45: Bike sourcing

• Purchase/lease of the initial fleet (50–200 bikes to start).
• Installation of the CityFlow IoT board on every bike.
• Fleet branding with your colours/logo.

Days 45–60: Local operational setup

• Hiring the street team (rebalancers, mechanics).
• Local warehouse/garage.
• Agreement with a maintenance shop if you don't operate it yourself.

Days 60–75: Fleet OS configuration for your city

• Definition of operating zones (geofencing).
• Pricing configuration (per minute, per hour, per subscription).
• App customisation with your brand.
• Payment gateway integration.

Days 75–90: Soft launch

• Deployment of 30% of the fleet.
• Beta testing with 200–500 users.
• Iteration based on feedback.
• Public launch at the end of day 90.

What you save by using Fleet OS

Compared with building your own stack:

• 12+ months of development avoided.
• €1–2M of software investment avoided.
• The software maintenance team → handled by CityFlow.
• Legal and GDPR compliance already managed.
• Continuous feature updates, automatically.

What it does NOT save you

Operating bike-sharing is never trivial. What you still need to bring:

• Initial capital for the fleet.
• A local operations team.
• Negotiation with the city council.
• Local marketing.
• Relationships with public stakeholders.

Conclusion

Launching bike-sharing in 90 days is feasible if you split things correctly: software + local operations. Fleet OS solves the first side. You focus on the second. And together you reach the market before any competitor who insists on building everything from scratch.

Want a demo and an analysis of your city? Talk to sales.