City of Boulder selects BCycle LLC, long-time partner of Boulder Bike Sharing, as exclusive bike share provider
BOULDER, CO – August 16, 2021 – The City of Boulder, in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder County, the Boulder Chamber, has selected BCycle to continue as the exclusive bike share provider in Boulder. As part of this new contract, BCycle LLC, a subsidiary of Trek Bicycle, will convert the bike share fleet to all pedal assist e-bikes and acquire the local nonprofit Boulder Bike Sharing (BBS).
For the past decade, BCycle LLC has partnered with BBS to provide reliable and affordable bike share trips to the community and its visitors. Previously, BBS leased its software and purchased its equipment from BCycle. Going forward, BCycle will directly own and operate Boulder BCycle. Members of the nonprofit staff will retain their positions as part of the Boulder BCycle team.
“The Boulder Bike Sharing Board of Directors thanks the Boulder community for supporting more than a decade of local nonprofit bike sharing, and we’re excited for where the Boulder BCycle system is headed under BCycle,” said Michael-Ryan McCarty, BBS Board Co-Chair.
“BCycle is thrilled to build upon the solid foundation that Boulder Bike Sharing has developed in the community over the past decade,” said Morgan Ramaker, Executive Director of BCycle. “With an all e-bike fleet, we’re eager to take that service to the community to the next level, providing a meaningful transportation alternative to get more people on bikes and out of cars.”
As part of the transition, Boulder BCycle will convert its bike fleet to all pedal-assist e-bikes. E-bikes were first introduced in the Boulder BCycle system earlier this year, and ridership for 2021 is on track to be more than double any previous year. Additionally, Boulder BCycle will expand the current system to provide convenient access to shared e-bikes for more community members, including new stations in key areas and underserved neighborhoods.
Boulder BCycle will operate as part of the City’s new Shared Micrombility Program for Boulder, in partnership with the City of Boulder, the University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder County, the Boulder Chamber, and Lime. The new program will provide important mobility options that can replace single-occupant vehicle trips and enable first- and final-mile trips to and from transit stops. Boulder’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) and Climate Commitment seeks to reduce vehicle trips and related emissions and shared micromobility devices are a key component of the city’s multimodal system.
“We’re excited to launch this Shared Micromobility Program and provide more options for our community members to get where they need to go, whether for work, school or errands,” said Transportation and Mobility Department Director Erika Vandenbrande. “Transportation is one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gases and shared electric bikes and scooters make it easier - and more fun! - to skip a car trip and get around in a greener way.”
About BCycle
Headquartered in Waterloo, WI, BCycle LLC develops and delivers best-in-class bike share systems and is committed to providing an environmentally sustainable transportation alternative for cities. BCycle believes that bike share is the bicycle’s role in public transit and is on a mission to change the world by getting more people on bikes. BCycle, a fully owned subsidiary of Trek Bicycle, operates bike share systems in Boulder, CO, Broward County, FL, Greenville, SC, Madison, WI, Nashville, TN, San Antonio, TX, and Santa Barbara, CA, and partners with organizations across the country to deliver community-based bike share. For more information, visit bcycle.com.