CitiBike Delayed Until March 2013

We were so optimistic once! (photo credit: Kate Hinds/Transportation Nation)

Well, it’s official. Originally scheduled to hit the streets last month, bike share — much-maligned and eagerly-anticipated (welcome to New York!) — won’t actually launch until March 2013, reports Transportation Nation.

According to Bloomberg, who broke the news on his radio show this morning, the necessary software simply doesn’t work yet:

One of the newspapers keeps writing, ‘you’re hiding something.’ Yeah, well, nothing. The software doesn’t work. Duh. Until it works, we’re not going to put it out until it does work.

The official release, also issued this morning, says much the same thing, but with less…Bloombergian color?

New York City demands a world-class bike share system, and we need to ensure that Citi Bike launches as flawlessly as New Yorkers expect on Day One,” said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “The enthusiasm for this program continues to grow and we look forward to bringing this affordable new transportation option to New Yorkers without cost to taxpayers…

NYCBS continues work to conclude manufacture and testing of the high-performance software necessary to operate the new system, which is being tailored for New York City. The system uses new solar power arrays and circuit boards, and engineers will continue to thoroughly test data communications, power management and payment systems to ensure overall system performance.