Bikeshare Is More Popular Than Ever. But It’ll Cost You
The proliferation of e-bikes and e-scooters in US and Canadian cities means shared micromobility programs are getting expensive.
After a recent fare hike by Citi Bike in NYC, riders of e-bikes could pay up to $15.59 for a half-hour ride.
Photographer: UCG/Universal Images Group EditorialGo outside in Manhattan or Boston, and you’ll see the bright blue bikes around every corner. In Toronto, they’re an unmistakable orange. Bikeshare programs in the US and Canada have never been more popular, according to a new report.
Americans and Canadians took 157 million rides on shared bikes and e-scooters in 2023, surpassing previous records set before the pandemic, according to a report on shared micromobility from the National Association of City Transportation Officials. But user costs are rising into unaffordable territory in many cities amid a shortage of public funding for the programs.