Combining E-bikes And Bikeshares Is Urban Alchemy: A Winning Transit Solution For Cities, by Heather Thompson
Two increasingly popular phenomena – E-bikes and bikeshare systems – are combining to provide cities with new solutions to help alleviate transportation and pollution woes. Hundreds of millions of E-bikes and millions of bikeshare bicycles are now pedaling out across the globe , helping to reduce traffic jams and consumer costs.
Even months ago, E-bikes (bikes with electric assist) and bikeshare systems may have been foreign concepts, but now many will be familiar with these new technologies, given how fast they are spreading across the world’s crowded cities.
And, with transportation now the fastest growing source of global carbon dioxide emissions, support for the proliferation of accessible, low-carbon mobility options like E-bikes and bikeshare systems are crucial to international climate change action.
Jump Electric Bike ShareE-bikes used in bikeshare system
E-bikes are mounted with a small, rechargeable battery that helps riders travel faster and further, with speeds up to 28 miles per hour, going up to 60 miles per charge. Some bikes are configured to boost the rider’s pedaling power, while others use a throttle and require no pedaling, much like a scooter. E-bikes allow riders to cruise up steep hills as if they were flat, easily carry groceries or kids, and commute to work without breaking a sweat.
Given their attractiveness, E-bike use is soaring around the world. Navigant Research reports 35 million E-bikes were sold worldwide in 2017. E-bikes are especially popular in Asia with more than 200 million filling the streets in China, and in Europe with more than 500,000 bikes sold in Germany alone in 2015. Sales are rising in the United States, as bike models evolve from a specialty commuting or recreation device to a standard form that is accessible to all bike consumers.
An estimated 1 million bikeshare bicycles were on the road worldwide at the end of 2015, with China home to three-quarters of that total – and this is even before the difficult-to-track dockless-bikshare trend hit the streets in 2017. The trend is also growing in the U.S. with more than 28 million trips taken in 2016 and 88 million trips taken since 2010.
Bikeshare systems are becoming a popular choice in cities because they offer freedom and speed that outcompete many other forms of transit, especially in increasingly congested cities. New York City’s Citi Bike, run by Motivate, is one of the most recognized. A recent study showed that over 50% of peak hour taxi trips would be faster by Citi Bikes, and congestion is making taxis ever slower. Bikeshare systems also connect riders with public transit, extending travel options – the U.S. Department of Transportation reports 86% of bikeshare stations are within one block of public transportation.
Todd W. Schneider www.toddwschneider.com/New York City peak hour taxi trips compared to bike trips
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By: Stefani Cox, BetterBikeShare
It’s been a big year for bike share, especially among the efforts to make it accessible to low-income individuals and people of color throughout the U.S.
From system expansions and an industry conference, to groundbreaking research and new dockless systems, we’ve got 10 posts from this year that show the current state of bike share equity.
Community development to increase access
Sometimes the most important aspects of a program aren’t the newest ones, but the tried and true activities that bring bike share to underserved individuals and neighborhoods. This year, several bike share systems and community partners led the charge in bringing programming to a variety of community members.
1) Why medical centers are ‘prescribing’ bike share for mental health
Source: Gretchen Snethen.
When doctors prescribe bike share, it turns out the results are pretty positive. In Minneapolis, Nice Ride Minnesota partnered with Hennepin County Medical Center to connect mental health patients with bike share memberships. One participant racked up over 400 rentals in a 5-month timespan. Professionals at Temple University in Philadelphia explored a similar partnership with Indego bike share. These partnerships show that bike share can have cascading positive effects when paired with local institutions.
2) Philadelphia builds skills by combining computer literacy and bike share
Source: Darren Burton.
The Digital Skills and Bicycle Thrills program through Philadelphia’s Indego bike share continued strong this year, teaching computer literacy alongside bicycle safety skills and instructions on how to access Indego bike share. Graduates received a free 6-month Indego pass to give them a chance to try out bike share on their own. DSBT is another example of programming that makes bike share relevant to a wider set of needs within diverse communities.
3) Atlanta’s new bike share stations reach underserved areas
Source: Atlanta Bicycle Coalition.
In addition to programming, a big component of making bike share available to marginalized individuals is station proximity. Atlanta took this element seriously in 2017 by expanding its system from 100 bikes and 22 station to 500 bikes and 65 stations, with a particular emphasis on historically underserved neighborhoods.
Honorable mentions: Bike share can also be a strategy for workforce development and financial literacy. And community groups in cities such as Basalt, CO, Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, and Chicago, IL are trying to figure out how to be most relevant to underserved residents.
Bike share equity firsts
2017 was also a year of big shifts in approaches to bike share equity and within the industry of bike share.
4) Two cities explore adaptive bike rentals for people with disabilities
Source: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland.
So-called “adaptive bike share” made its debut through a pilot program in Portland, OR. Local advocate voices have been vital to the development of the program. Bike share stakeholders in other cities, such as Detroit, are keeping a close eye on Portland’s work as they consider bringing similar elements to their own systems.
5) Pittsburgh becomes first U.S. city to offer free bike share to transit riders
Source: Healthy Ride.
Speaking of firsts, Pittsburgh, PA beat other U.S. cities in the race to integrate transit with bike share by providing free 15-minute Healthy Ride bike share trips to anyone with a ConnectCard, the regional transit fare card. The beauty of the initiative is that no additional registration is needed at the outset.
6) Q&A: Tech’s take on bike sharing hits the streets in Seattle (series)
Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Of course, one of the biggest shifts in the industry this year was the proliferation of “dockless” bike share systems. In our Q&A series with bicycling stakeholders in Seattle, we took a look at what these new systems could mean for ease of use, accessibility, and affordability (both positive and negative.) The major draws seem to be the current low price point of dockless systems as well as their scalability, but stakeholders are also concerned about the influx of bikes blocking right-of-ways and potentially posing a safety hazard, given the cheap bikes being used.
Honorable mentions: Detroit joined other big cities with the launch of its bike share system, including a $5 fare. Meanwhile, the Barnes Foundation partnered with Indego bike share to give free admission to passholders. We also covered additional perspectives on the dockless bike share issues, both pro and con.
Tools for better systems
This year we also compiled several resources to help bike share advocates and practitioners develop more robust and equitable systems moving forward.
7) How to engage diverse communities with bike share (series)
Source: Bublr Bikes.
Check out our 1-pager series on outreach strategies for engaging diverse communities. The handouts cover relationship-building, learning about ridership, and building employment opportunities, from the perspective of Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Brooklyn stakeholders.
8) Bike share company plans to internalize diversity and inclusion
Source: Bicycle Transit Systems.
Equity isn’t always about external work; it’s important to also look inward at our own institutions, companies, and community groups. Bike Transit Systems is embarking on just that process with their new diversity and inclusion initiative, and they’ve even shared a handout for those looking to pursue a similar process.
Honorable mentions:
The 2017 North American Bikeshare Association conference was a forum for bike share stakeholders across the continent to gather and share resources. In addition, we shared handouts on youth engagement strategies, best practices for marketing, sample bike share equity job descriptions, ambassador training tools, and guidelines for group bike share events.
What the numbers say
Last, but certainly not least, is the important topic of research. New information on bike share dynamics and preferences among low-income residents and people of color helps stakeholders make more informed decisions for system planning and programming.
9) Silent barriers to bicycling (series)
Researchers Charles Brown and James Sinclair of Rutgers University investigated deterrents to cycling among New Jersey Black and Latino populations. They found that often-overlooked factors, such as fear of theft and fear of police profiling have a disproportionate effect on would-be cyclists from such backgrounds.
10) Study from Portland State shows untapped potential for bike share (series)
Source: Darren Burton.
Portland State University’s Transportation Research and Education Center dove even deeper into barriers and incentives to using bike share among low-income populations and people of color in select Philadelphia, Chicago, and Brooklyn neighborhoods. They found a strong preference for recreational and family-oriented bicycling options, as well as a sensitivity to discount memberships and “high-touch” outreach strategies.
Like we said, it was a big year for bike share! None of this would have been possible without the many staff and volunteers working toward more equitable systems, including new staff members with the Better Bike Share Partnership.
The Better Bike Share Partnership is funded by The JPB Foundation as a collaborative between the City of Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and the PeopleForBikes Foundation to build equitable and replicable bike share systems. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or sign up for our weekly newsletter. Story tip? Write stefani@betterbikeshare.org.
