State Puts The Brakes On Enticing CA Program After Major Snafu

CALIFORNIA — Two weeks ago, California reopened applications for its e-bike voucher program, which offered a $2,000 subsidy to purchase an electric bike — but applicants were faced with an online program that just kept crashing.

As a result, the state shut it down, pausing applications until an unknown date, according to the California Air Resources Board.

The board is now working with its third-party website administrator to sort out disruptions to the second round of the voucher program, which opened on April 29, Brad Branan, a spokesperson for the board, told Patch on Tuesday.

"While we are still investigating the details, we do know the website detected suspicious activity after the waiting room opened which triggered automatic security protocols, including restricting access to the site," Branan said.

After the service was restored after locking a flurry of angry applicants out, Branan said the board decided to postpone the application process "to ensure equal access for all participants."

Applicants say this isn't the first time the state has bungled the application process for the embattled program.

“I’ve been tracking this program since before the first launch and, honestly, it’s been a disaster from the start,” Cory Wilcox, an Oceanside resident, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “And now tonight, the whole system crashed again. It feels like CARB either doesn’t care or doesn’t know how to run this."

Branan says he expects the board will make an announcement about the program soon.

"We understand people are frustrated," Branan said. "CARB is taking steps to ensure a better experience when the application window reopens in the coming weeks."

Nearly four years ago, California first announced its plan to fight climate change by subsidizing e-bikes to take more cars off the road. Since then, the program has been criticized for roadblocks to its rollout and its issues with its original vendor, Pedal Ahead, which was given a grant to manage the program.

Branan told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the state is seeking bids from new contractors to be the new program administrator, but didn't say why a new vendor is being sought.

Ted Rogers, who runs BikingInLA.com, says the program has long been marked by "sheer incompetence."

“No other ebike rebate program anywhere in the US has had as much difficulty launching, and needed as much time, as California," he wrote. "We were the first to approve an ebike voucher program, and the last to get it up and running right."

E-bikes, equipped with electric motors to assist with pedaling, have become a popular choice for those looking to improve their health while reducing time spent in a vehicle. But they often come with a hefty price tag, costing anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000.

See a list of eligible e-bikes that the state says vouchers will work for here.

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