Press Release
Zagster, Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans
Bring Pedal Power to the Motor City
First bike sharing program in Detroit focuses on revitalization, sustainability, convenience and cost-effective transportation
DETROIT (July 23, 2013) Zagster, a national company providing bike rental services, today announced it has partnered with Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans to launch Detroit’s first bike sharing program. Beginning today, Rock Ventures/Quicken Loans’ 9,200 team members in downtown Detroit can reserve and ride comfortable, city-friendly cruiser bikes, allowing them a healthy, convenient, sustainable and fun way to run errands, grab lunch, get to meetings or just exercise.
“With the success of public bike sharing programs around the world, more and more employers, real estate developers and universities are looking to offer a more customized, convenient and flexible program for tenants and employees,” said Timothy Ericson, co-founder and CEO of Zagster. “Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans have really stepped up to show the world that the Motor City is ready for a new set of wheels.”
Zagster has successfully launched bike sharing programs in large cities including Chicago, Boston and New York and is now doing so in Detroit’s thriving urban core. Rock Ventures/Quicken Loans are sponsoring Zagster memberships for their team members. After registering on Zagster’s website, Zagster will text codes to team members to unlock their bikes. Reservations last up to 24 hours.
Initially, 48 Breezer bikes will be available on-demand to team members of Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans and will be parked outside eight properties in and around downtown Detroit: Compuware, M@dison, One Woodward, 1528 Woodward Ave., Chase Tower, Financial District Garage, 1001 Woodward Garage and Two Detroit Garage. If demand increases, additional locations will be launched in future months.
“The launch of Zagster in Detroit is another way we are activating our streets and helping our team members explore Detroit on two wheels instead of four,” said TBD, TITLE. “Bike sharing fits in with our placemaking initiatives and we hope other companies will follow our lead and bring this perk to their team members.”
After joining Zagster, riders simply text ‘start’ plus the bike number (e.g. ‘start 46’) to Zagster. A confirmation message with the access code for the lock box is texted back. This action reserves the bike for the remainder of the day or until the bike is returned. Riders text “end” to the same number, which releases the bike for the next rider.
The Breezer Uptown bikes used by Zagster have won numerous awards for their lightweight yet durable frames. They are outfitted with spacious baskets ideal for transporting laptops and computer gear, take-out food or groceries. Riders can park their bikes anywhere they want using the included flexible lock, allowing the ultimate in convenience. When done with their bike, riders simply return the bike back to the Zagster bike rack.
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About Zagster
Founded in Philadelphia in 2007 as CityRyde and now headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Zagster is one of the nation’s first bike sharing companies. Zagster is uniquely focused on contracting with property managers, hotels, businesses, and universities across North America to make bike sharing programs available to tenants, employees, guests and students. This highly efficient and unique model allows Zagster to offer services in areas that traditional city-wide bike sharing systems can’t reach. More information about Zagster is available online at http://www.Zagster.com.
About Quicken Loans
Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc. is the nation’s largest online home lender and the country’s third largest retail home mortgage lender. The company closed a record $70 billion of volume across all 50 states in 2012. Quicken Loans generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Scottsdale, Arizona. The company also operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit, as well as its San Diego-based One Reverse Mortgage unit. Quicken Loans ranked #1 in customer satisfaction among all home mortgage lenders in the United States by J.D. Power and Associates in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Quicken Loans also ranked among the top-30 companies on FORTUNE magazine’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the last 10 consecutive years. It ranked in the top-15 of Computerworld magazine’s “100 Best Places to Work In Technology” for the past nine years, ranking #1 in 2013. The company moved its headquarters to Detroit and now has 9,200 team members working there. For more information about Quicken Loans, please visit quickenloans.com, on Twitter at @QLnews, and on Facebook at facebook.com/QuickenLoans.
About Rock Ventures
Detroit-based Rock Ventures LLC is an umbrella entity managing a diverse portfolio of companies, investments and real estate. Rock Ventures’ flagship company is Quicken Loans, the nation’s largest online home lender and third largest overall residential mortgage lender. To learn more visit www.opportunitydetroit.com.
Media contacts
Zagster
John Williams, Scoville PR for Zagster
206-625-0075, jwilliams@scovillepr.com
Quicken Loans
Paula Silver, Vice President, Communications
313-373-7255, paulasilver@QuickenLoans.com