AFZ | America Free Zone | Top Free Zone in Costa Rica Central América

AFZ: UrBike Policy

“POLICY FOR PROPER USE OF BICYCLES
THROUGH THE URBIKE SYSTEM IN AFZ”

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

The provisions contained in this policy are of general interest and mandatory. It regulates the use of the bicycles of the Urbike system within AFZ. The rules referred to in this policy must be complied with by all users of the Urbike system, when using the bicycles, as well as when circulating with them within the America Free Trade Zone.

ARTICLE 2. DEFINITIONS

AFZ: America Free Zone or America Free Zone.
Urbike: Application that is downloaded from the virtual stores of your operating system to request bicycles.
User: person who uses the bicycles of the Urbike system.
U1: the AFZ area where all the buildings are located.
U2: the area of AFZ across the street from U1, where the parking lots are located.

ARTICLE 4. USERS

Only those people who are employees of a company located within AFZ may be users of the Urbike system. It is considered that the user is a person over 18 years of age, who knows how to handle a bicycle and has the skills to do so without endangering their safety. The use of the bicycles by minors is strictly forbidden.

ARTICLE 5. BICYCLE REMOVAL

The user must pick up and deliver the bicycles at an authorized loading station. The bicycle may not be left at any time in an AFZ area different from the authorized loading area. However, in case of a damage, the user may leave the bicycle in the place where it is located and report it immediately to our monitoring center at 2509-9855.

ARTICLE 6. USE AND CIRCULATION

Bicycles may only be used within the AFZ facilities and under no circumstances may they leave the AFZ. To move by bicycle from U1 to U2, the user must use the tunnel that connects both areas located between Building F-31 and F-32.

Bicycles shall only ride in the bicycle lanes specifically marked on AFZ streets and shall abide by the provisions of Costa Rican traffic laws and AFZ signs and markings. Bicycles may not be ridden on sidewalks under any circumstances. In case the user needs to pick up something at a restaurant or building, he/she must pause the trip and leave the bicycle in the common areas defined for this purpose.

It is strictly forbidden for users of bicycles to hold on to another moving vehicle. It is recommended the use of helmets for those who use bicycles. Also, the use of a white or yellow light projector is recommended for those riding bicycles between 6:00 p.m. and
6:00 a.m.

ARTICLE 7. WEIGHT TO BE TRANSPORTED

It is forbidden to carry in the front basket of the bicycle a weight greater than 5 (five) kilos. It is also forbidden for two people to be transported at the same time on the bicycle.

ARTICLE 8. USE OF THE URBIKE APPLICATION

The user must access the URBIKE application, which must have been previously downloaded to his/her cell phone, and follow the steps shown on the screen where the institutional email and phone number must be used in order to register. Each user must verify that the information provided to the application is correct and declare it so, so it will be the user’s responsibility the consequences of having provided incorrect information.

Once the trip is finished and the bicycle is delivered to a charging station, the user mustconfirm in the application that the trip has ended.

This service is free so that users do not require any means of payment to use it. 

The username assigned through the application to each person is for personal use, it cannot be shared. The bicycle must be used only by the person who activated the trip through his or her user. Failure to comply with this provision will be considered a misuse of the bicycle, both by the person who requested the trip and by the person who used the bicycle.

A bicycle may not be used at any time without using the Urbike application.

ARTICLE 9. IMPROPER USE OF BICYCLES

AFZ reserves the right to prohibit the use of the bicycles to those users who have not complied with these policies or who have misused the bicycles in any way.

ARTICLE 10. RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USE OF BICYCLES

Each user is responsible for the use of the bicycle, its safety and assumes the risks that the use of the vehicle implies, such as accident injury or even death. AFZ assumes no responsibility for these events. It is the responsibility of the user to check the weather conditions before using the bicycle.

The bicycle must be delivered back to the loading station in the same condition in which it was received by the user. It will be the responsibility of the user to ensure that the vehicle is not damaged. AFZ will request users to pay for any damages caused to the bicycles.

Any damage or malfunction of the bicycles must be reported immediately by the user through the Urbike platform, by a phone call to the AFZ administration or via email to the address urbike@afz.cr.

In case that the user must pause a trip, he/she should take care that it is for a period of no more than twenty minutes. Otherwise, the bicycle must be returned to a charger so that it can be used by another user.

ARTICLE 11. USE AND MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Bicycles will be available 24 (twenty-four) hours a day, 7 (seven) days a week. Technical service will be provided Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

ARTICLE 12. SPEED LIMIT AND OTHER ASPECTS OF CIRCULATION

The speed limit for bicycle use within the AFZ is 25 km/h.

Priority is given to pedestrians. After the pedestrian, the bicycle has priority, followed by cars and trucks.

ARTICLE 13. COLLISION

In case of collision, the national legislation procedures shall be followed. In addition, the AFZ brigade will be activated through the safety officers. The brigade will attend to the injured person unless the person refuses to be attended.

ARTICLE 14. MONITORING AND VIGILANCE

Zona Franca America is an area monitored by video monitoring 24 hours a day, so the use of the bicycles is part of the video surveillance. All bicycles are equipped with a GPS system so that their location can be monitored at any time.