Montreal's Bixi service records surplus for first time

Bixi has recorded a surplus.

After the city helped it out ofbankruptcylast year,the bike-sharing program announced today a surplus of $818,275 during eight months of operation in 2014.

Of that money, $460,000 will go toward repaying a loanfor the trucks used to shuttle the bicycles, while the $165,326 startup subsidy will be returned to the city.

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Last March,Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre announced what hecalled a "big pilot project," handing Bixi a$4.3-million contract to run the service.

Marie Elaine Farley. president of Bixi's administrative board, said the results show the service has taken steps towardrestructuring and cutting costs.

Bixialso said it hit its target of 1,000 new members for 2015 even before the season began.As of May 31, Bixi had 6,049 new members this year.