Mayor Bill de Blasio, DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and Jay Walder, President & CEO of Motivate announced today that Citi Bike had achieved its 50 millionth ride since the system’s launch in May 2013. In 2017, Citi Bike, currently expanding to Astoria, Harlem and Prospect Heights, is on track to break last year’s record of 14 million rides. By this fall, the system will have doubled in size since 2014, from 6,000 to 12,000 bikes.
“In 2014, we committed to saving a struggling bike-share system and having it expand to more New York City communities,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “In almost three years since, the results speak for themselves: from Harlem to Red Hook, from Astoria to Bed-Stuy, those blue bikes have now become part of the fabric of our city — and we can now look forward to the 100 millionth ride.”
“Fifty million rides is such an extraordinary number, it should be put in perspective: at more than two miles per trip, Citi Bike riders have now collectively bicycled more than 100 million miles — the distance from earth to the sun!” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “With the boom in cycling, Citi Bike has also been a key to helping us reach our Vision Zero goals – as we have actually seen the positive effects of ‘safety in numbers.’ We congratulate our partners at Motivate for their unabashed success and for reaching this incredible milestone – and commit to working with them on bike share’s bright future here in New York.”
“When the Citi Bike program first launched in New York, 50 million rides seemed like an impossible goal – but New Yorkers don’t shy from a challenge,” said Jay Walder, President and CEO of Motivate, the company that operates Citi Bike. “Today, Citi Bike is a crucial component of our transportation network as more New Yorkers and visitors than ever take to two wheels. We are proud Citi Bike has become a fun, safe and equitable way to get around the city.”
“We are proud of our role in helping to create a bike sharing program that has been embraced by both New Yorkers and visitors while weaving itself into the fabric of City,” said Citi Head of Public Affairs Edward Skyler. “We greatly appreciate all of the Citi Bike riders who bring this program to life and have helped build it into the city’s first new form of public transportation in more than a century and the most sustainable.”
As part of its 2017 expansion, Citi Bike is installing stations in Harlem and in the Queens neighborhood of Astoria, ahead of further expansion into Crown Heights and Prospect Heights in Brooklyn. The Citi Bike program continues to be the most widely used bike share system in the nation. Annual ridership has steadily increased year over year, as residents and visitors alike turn to the blue bikes to move around New York City. Riders took 8 million trips in 2014, 10 million in 2015, and almost 14 million in 2016. In 2017, riders are set to break the record once again – with a 19 percent increase in ridership so far this year.
Daily ridership continues to grow as well: the system, the largest among more than 50 bike share systems in North America, regularly records more than 60,000 rides per day in peak season. Riders recently set the new daily ridership record, clocking 74,428 trips on September 12. While individual bikes average seven uses per day, one bike recorded 36 trips over a single day in July. Since the system’s launch, Citi Bike riders have pedaled 102,366,046 miles and offset 53,230,343.92 pounds of carbon and counting.
Citi Bike’s Phase 2 expansion will be completed by the end of 2017, doubling the size of the network. Citi Bike has 10,000 bikes at over 600 stations, and will have 12,000 bikes at 750 stations by the end of this year. In addition to the aforementioned new neighborhoods, stations are currently located every few blocks in Manhattan as far north as 130th Street and in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Red Hook, Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint along with Long Island City, Queens.
“Congratulations to New York City bike riders on their 50 million Citi Bike rides. It is a testament to the program’s success. Not only is it eco-friendly, but it’s an affordable option for New Yorkers to tackle their daily commute into the city. I hope to see that option expand even further into Queens and the Bronx,” said Rep. Joseph Crowley.
“I’m proud to congratulate New York City’s successful bike share venture, Citi Bike, on reaching the milestone of their 50 millionth ride. Throughout its existence, Citi Bike has offered commuters and tourists alike an affordable, accessible way to navigate the city. From reducing traffic congestion to promoting healthy habits, the benefits of biking are enormous. For my part, I will continue to advocate at the federal level to make our City safer and to enhance transportation options,” said Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez.
“When Citi launched Citi Bike in May of 2013, it signaled a prolific shift in the accessibility of our streets. What started as a small rollout in Midtown Manhattan has since expanded to over 600 stations in Upper Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Jersey City,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat. “Citi Bike has empowered many New Yorkers to adopt an eco-friendly and affordable option to travel around the city. Citi Bike has shown its commitment to making their services accessible to all New Yorkers by building docking stations in neighborhoods currently underserved by existing transit infrastructure and by pro-rating membership pricing for NYCHA residents. I commend Mayor de Blasio and Citi on the Citi Bike initiative as a successful solution to providing multiple transit options to all New Yorkers, and creating the infrastructure to make 50 million Citi Bike rides convenient and safe.”
“50 million rides on Citi Bike translates into 50 million positive stories for riders in our city, and counting. Bike share is helping to make Brooklyn a safer place to raise healthy children and families, while providing a common-sense option for commuters and tourists alike. I am excited to welcome Citi Bike to Crown Heights and Prospect Heights in the weeks ahead, and I look forward to supporting the network’s further expansion into underserved communities in our borough,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.
“Citi Bike’s continuous growth highlights the importance of having options when traveling within New York City. I am looking forward to Citi Bike’s expansion into Queens,” said Assemblyman Michael DenDekker.
“Citi Bike’s growth in Queens is fantastic,” said New York City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer. “I am proud that Long Island City was the first neighborhood in Queens to get Citi Bike stations and thrilled for the expansion. I look forward to Citi Bike’s expansion to all parts of Queens and our City!”
“Fifty million rides are fifty million instances in which New Yorkers and visitors were able to ride a bike and contribute to our environmental goals,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the Council Committee on Transportation. “The impact of Citi Bike on the environment and the millions of pounds of carbon dioxide it has helped offset are impressive. Continuing the expansion of bike share to Astoria, Harlem, and Prospect Heights opens the door for thousands of New Yorkers to explore biking as a fun and eco-friendly transportation option. This milestone is a win for all New Yorkers.”
“As an avid cyclist (especially along the Hudson River), I am thrilled to hear that Citi Bike has hit 50 million rides in New York City. Bike share services like Citi Bike are helping to change the culture of our city, bringing control of our streets back to people, as opposed to vehicles. We have a long way to go but New York is on its way to becoming a bike-friendly city, which would have seemed unthinkable only a few years ago,” said Council Member Helen Rosenthal.
“Citi Bike provides New Yorkers with an important transportation option that promotes both a healthy environment and a healthy body,” said Council Member Robert Cornegy, Jr. “As Chair of the Council’s Committee on Small Business, I also understand the importance of transportation alternatives like Citi Bike to the progress of small business owners, and have advocated for the increased availability of such options throughout New York City. I am extremely pleased to see the program expanding to even more neighborhoods in this City and am excited by the prospect of the many millions of rides to come.”
“Hitting this incredible milestone is a reminder of the essential place Citi Bike has in our public transportation network,” said Council Member Margaret Chin. “As an elected official in one of the most densely populated areas of our City, it is hard to imagine a time when Citi Bike did not exist as an alternative for commuters, visitors and residents. As this groundbreaking bike share program expands, I look forward to working with the Administration and the Citi Bike team to make it even more convenient and accessible for riders.”
“As the population of our City grows, we also need to grow our transportation network, and that includes Citi Bike,” said Council Member Johnson, Chair of the Health Committee. “Citi Bike has been transformational in helping New Yorkers get around and hopefully this expansion will get even more people biking. I want to thank Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner Trottenberg and Jay Walder for helping to make New York transportation happier and healthier.”
“I’m proud that we have been able to achieve yet another alternative form of transportation for New Yorkers. Alongside projects such as the new Red Hook Ferry, we are offering proof that our existing infrastructure can indeed handle these changes, and that they are changes we must enact. We must embrace these eco-friendly methods of transportation wherever we can. Our health, our beloved city, and our world all depend on it.” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca.
“Citi Bike is an invaluable piece of public infrastructure that gives people a useful and convenient transit option. Fifty million rides prove that it’s a healthy, environmentally-friendly, and safe transportation option that New Yorkers clearly need and use,” said City Council Member Brad Lander. “I’m thrilled to have Citi Bikes in our neighborhoods. For trips up to Prospect Park or down to Red Hook pool, it’s a great way to travel. I’ll keep pushing for it to expand to further parts of my District as we ride our way to 100 million rides!”
“Fifty million Citi Bike trips is testament to New Yorkers embrace of cycling — and it is fitting that Citi Bike should hit this historic milestone the week that it continues to expand into Harlem, Astoria and Prospect Heights,” said Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives. “The people of New York City clearly adore cycling, and Citi Bike, and are clamoring for opportunities to participate. Fifty million times over, there is no question as to the success of bike share in New York and we must continue to expand Citi Bike to neighborhoods across the five boroughs.”
In 2014, the Bill de Blasio Administration illustrated its commitment to a robust bike share system, successfully securing a new company, Motivate, to operate the system. An infusion of private capital stabilized the system and improved service has led to growth and record ridership in the two years since. This year’s installations complete the Phase 2 expansion, and the Administration is exploring new ways to bring bike share to more New Yorkers, including the Bronx and Staten Island.
The annual cost of a Citi Bike membership is $163 or $14.95/month with an annual commitment. NYCHA residents and members of select community development credit unions are eligible to receive discounted $5/month memberships.
Annual members receive an electronic key to undock a bike from any station, allowing unlimited trips up to 45 minutes without incurring any additional costs. Twenty-four-hour and three-day passes are available for purchase at any Citi Bike station or through the Citi Bike app and provide unlimited 30-minute trips. Reduced cost memberships are available for NYCHA residents and members of select credit unions throughout the city, and for IDNYC holders in their first year of membership.
Learn more at citibikenyc.com
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