Bike-sharing program coming to Anna Maria Island

The headaches that comes with trying to get onto Anna Maria Island during season are shared with anyone stuck in a car. 

"It takes half an hour to get on the island from in town.  

Once you are here it takes another half an hour to get from the traffic light to the tip of Anna Maria," said Tracy Thrall. 

Business partners Tracy Thrall and Thomas Pechouse with Mobile Muttley's believe they've come up with a solution. 

They have proposed a docked bike share system to the City of Holmes Beach. 

Users would download an app, go to a kiosk and hop onto a single speed beach bike. There would be a number of places set up for returns or rentals. 

"By having the bike traffic you can alleviate that time and eliminate the cars. People can come out here, park their cars, hop onto a bike and reduce the traffic," said Tracy. 

It's a system that large cities across the U.S have put into play. 

"We are just offering another way to get a bike and get around the Island," said Tom Pechouse. 

But Anna Maria Island already has bikes. Lots of them at more than a dozen bike rental shops across the island.  

"Any bike in here is for rent," said Eric Irons. 

Eric Irons owns AMI Beach Fun which rents bikes, scooters, golf carts and other beach equipment. 

"There's a lot of businesses owners on this island and there’s plenty of bikes to go around. I don’t think we need that," he said. 

But Tom and Tracy said their business model is different. 

"Those rental companies that have bikes offer a slew of other rental things, they’re not just stuck with bikes. We are just doing bikes," said Tracy. 

Bikes that they believe could be part of the key to solving traffic congestion. 

"This is more for people that want to come and do a day trip to come to the island they want to leave the car where they parked it," said Tom. 

Holmes Beach Commissioners will debate the idea once more in two weeks at a special workshop.