New York City Mayor Eric Adams, along with the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Lyft, has revealed a comprehensive plan to enhance and expand the Citi Bike system in response to increased ridership and to promote cycling and micromobility. By the end of the next year, Citi Bike will double its electric bike fleet, initiate trials for at least two electrified charging/docking stations, and has intentions to electrify 20 percent of stations in the coming years. Additionally, Citi Bike is introducing new pricing models for its e-bikes. As part of its Phase 3 expansion, the system has already integrated 2,800 classic bikes and replaced 2,200 existing bikes.
Over the past decade, Citi Bike has become an integral part of New York City’s landscape, now being the largest bike share program in the nation and the city’s fastest-growing transportation network, with a total of 200 million rides. The partnership between Lyft and the city has significantly expanded the system’s docking stations, increasing from 1,000 in August 2020 to 2,000 by September 2023. In August 2023, the system achieved a record-breaking 4 million rides for the month, marking a 63 percent increase from 2019. On October 28, 2023, a record-breaking 161,422 Citi Bike rides occurred, accounting for approximately one-quarter of the estimated daily cycling trips in New York City. Furthermore, as of October 29, there have been a total of 30.7 million Citi Bike rides in the calendar year, setting a new annual record with more than two months left in the year.
Mayor Adams emphasized the role of Citi Bike in New York City’s cycling history and the commitment to making public bike share accessible for the next decade. The city’s Deputy Mayor for Operations, Meera Joshi, celebrated Citi Bike’s new monthly record and expressed excitement about expanding the service to more communities and increasing the number of e-bikes in the fleet.
New initiatives, including the integration of e-bikes, aim to enhance the convenience of Citi Bike for commuters, according to DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. Caroline Samponaro, Vice President for Micromobility and Transit Policy at Lyft, highlighted the popularity of e-bikes among New Yorkers for their speed and convenience.
Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, New York City has initiated and completed significant bike infrastructure and greenway projects across all boroughs, including the expansion of the Harlem River Greenway and various bike infrastructure projects in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan.
The Citi Bike system has expanded to more than 30,000 bikes and 2,000 stations, marking a substantial growth from its initial launch with 6,000 bikes and 332 stations in May 2013. After the current Phase 3 expansion is finished, Citi Bike will have deployed over 40,000 bikes. This year’s expansion areas include neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
