A countywide bike sharing program kicked off Tuesday in Hollywood, making it the first of its kind in the country. 

Similar events were planned in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach to celebrate the start of the program that does not limit users to a specific city. 

Kristin Jacobs, Broward County's vice mayor, spearheaded the idea that promotes physical fitness and reduces carbon emissions from the environment. 

Users from as far south as Hallandale Beach to as far north as Pompano Beach can use a credit card to remove a bicycle from any of the designated pickup stations. The bikes can also be returned to any one of the dozens of stations around Broward County. 

An annual membership runs $45 a year and allows participants to rent a bike for 50 cents every 30 minutes. The initial 30 minutes are free. However, an annual pass is not needed for bike users. The cost for nonmembers would run $3 every 30 minutes. 

The bikes are high-tech and come with anti-theft devices attached. There is also a GPS tracking device, which allows users to keep up with the number of miles they ride and the amount of calories they burn. Corporate sponsors helped to bring the idea to life.