Yikes. In my neck of the woods (Topeka, KS), its $25 a year.
I actually use it from time to time, but I’m not their target demographic. I’m actually a knuckle dragging invader from the surrounding rural area. Our mud/gravel roads and high speed highways aren’t good places to bike ride, so I can just drive into town and hop onto a bike there, and go around the park, etc.
Our system has one point (that I know of) that has a kiosk, where you pay right there. For most users, its an online subscription for the year, and you get a pass code that lets you use the bikes, which can be parked in dozens of locations.
I couldn’t help but notice that the bikes are not operated by the city of Dallas, but rather by “Friends of Fair Park”. In my experience, “Friends of” parks, zoos, etc are really organizations that provide employment for politicians’ spouses. So, I’m not surprised at the rate structure.
An interesting side note - two competing groups of developers are trying to get the politicians in their pockets so they can re-develop most of the park into a private development, squeezing the state fair to a fraction of the site. Meanwhile, the fair, while losing leverage, still has some politicians on the string, so it’s a 3 way fight occasionally spilling out into public view instead of the usual back room deals.
The railroad museum space has already been cleared out (they moved to Frisco) for which ever faction ends. Meanwhile, the local Black population will have to be transported out.
The Friends of Fair Park are fronting for one of the groups. Meanwhile, you can rent a bike to ride through the ghetto.