Number Of Citi Bikes Set To Triple As Program Expands

NEW YORK — Some 40,000 Citi Bikes will be rolling around New York City in five years in a major expansion of the bike-sharing program, officials announced Monday. Citi Bike plans to more than triple the size of its bicycle fleet and double its current service area over that period thanks to $100 million investment from Lyft.

The expansion — which will make Citi Bike one of the world's largest bike-share systems — is part of a deal approving the ride-hailing firm's takeover of Motivate, Citi Bike's parent company, Mayor Bill de Blasio's office said.

"This expansion means tens of thousands more New Yorkers are going to have a fast and inexpensive way to get around their city," de Blasio said in a statement. "It also means much more reliable service for all the riders who already use Citi Bike."

The bigger fleet will include both regular bikes and pedal-assist e-bikes, which give riders a motorized boost, officials said. Citi Bike recently rolled out pedal-assist bikes to help with next year's L train shutdown.

Citi Bike currently has more than 750 stations in northwest Brooklyn, western Queens, most of Manhattan and parts of New Jersey. Its service area will eventually grow by 35 square miles, with the expansion's geographic boundaries to be set in the coming months, the mayor's office said.

Under the agreement, Lyft will help get the existing Citi Bike fleet up to its required size of 12,000 bikes within three months of the acquisiton, officials said. The firm will also maintain the exclusive right to run bike-sharing within Citi Bike's service area, the mayor's office said.

"Today’s announcement marks a major milestone in Lyft’s growth as a sustainable transportation service that connects communities, and reduces unnecessary driving in urban centers," John Zimmer, Lyft's co-founder and president, said in a statement.

Citi Bike has recorded more than 70 million rides since its launch in 2013. The expansion deal was announced a day after City Council members introduced legislation to legalize electric bikes and e-scooters.

The deal drew fire from Uber, Lyft's major ride-hailing competitor that also owns JUMP Bikes, an e-bike sharing service. JUMP is participating in the city’s dockless bike-share pilot program.

JUMP is ready to put out 10,000 e-bikes on Staten Island and in The Bronx, where Citi Bike does not have bike stations, and 10,000 more in Queens and Brooklyn ahead of the L train shutdown, Uber spokesman Josh Gold said.

"After 5 years of operating in wealthier NYC communities, Citi Bike is now asking for another 5 years to expand and is still not committing to serve all New Yorkers," Gold said in a statement. "The City should work with all parties to ensure access to everyone who wants to ride a bike to get around their communities - not one company which has long left outer borough New Yorkers stranded."

One politician, though, argued officials aren't paying enough attention to the city's crumbling public transportation system.

"Maybe instead of patting themselves on the back for transferring Citi Bike ownership from one private corporation to another, these leaders should start talking about ways to fix the subway," said Melissa Mark-Viverito, the former City Council speaker who's now running for public advocate.

(Lead image: Citi Bike users ride through Manhattan in March 2014. Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)