Salem Adds 20 E-Bikes To Bluebikes Rental Program

SALEM, MA — Salem and nearby North Shore residents now have a way to buzz around the city a bit faster on demand with the addition of 20 pedal-assist e-bikes to the citywide Bluebikes fleet.

Bluebikes previously deployed e-bikes in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, and Brookline. When stray e-bikes from those communities made their way to Salem, Bluebikes was required to return them to the communities that purchased them.

A Shared Streets & Spaces grant funding will allow Salem to maintain its own dedicated fleet of 20 e-bikes on top of its approximately 100 conventional bikes.

"Bluebikes have been an affordable and convenient way for residents, students, workers, and visitors to get around Salem and, now, with the addition of electric bikes, they're even more convenient," Salem Mayor Pangallo said. "Our bike share program helps people reach local shops and restaurants,
places of education and employment, and more, with greater ease and without having to search for parking.

"Along with our expanding multiuse path network, the Salem Ferry, Salem Skipper, and MBTA services, Bluebikes advances our community's goal to reduce the carbon footprint of our transportation sector."

A system map and instructions for riding are available here. A discounted membership is available for income-eligible riders.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)