Dockless bike share pilot continues today as JUMP arrives in the Fordham area of the Bronx, with Citi Bike to follow in mid-August; Both companies feature access programs for lower-income riders
NEW YORK— Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that starting today, dockless bike share pilot had arrived in The Bronx, bringing bike share for the first time to all five boroughs. Starting today, riders will be able to use the JUMP mobile app to rent bicycles within the greater Fordham area (see map at bottom of release). And beginning in mid-August, Citi Bike will also arrive in the pilot area as well. At a morning rollout, NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg was joined by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, and dockless company executives outside Tremont Park.
“For the first time ever, we truly have five borough bike share, with dockless bikes hitting the streets in the Bronx,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We are making the city more accessible by providing residents another way to get around.”
“With the arrival of JUMP and Citi Bike to the Fordham area of the Bronx, every New York City borough now has bike share” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “The neighborhoods around Fordham comprise the vital center of this borough, with many great cultural destinations — the Bronx Zoo, the Botanical Garden, and Fordham University. Dockless bike share is sure to provide this area’s residents and visitors with healthy and sustainable connections to them all.”
For the Bronx dockless pilot, JUMP will offer 200 pedal-assist bikes, followed by 200 dockless Citi Bikes, expected to arrive by mid-August. JUMP’s bikes are priced at $2 for a 30-minute ride. Dockless Citi Bikes will also be priced at $2 per half-hour trip, and current annual Citi Bike members will be able to unlock and take unlimited 45-minute rides on the dockless bikes, which must remain within the Bronx pilot area. Citi Bike members may not ride from the docked service area to the Bronx, nor from the Bronx to the docked service area.
To use dockless bike share in the Bronx, riders should download the JUMP Bikes and/or Citi Bike app on a mobile phone (JUMP bikes are also available to rent via the Uber app). When done riding, riders should closely follow instructions for locking bikes — being sure to leave them in locations that are safe and accessible to future riders. The bikes should be parked at a bike rack or on the sidewalk — in line with other street furniture. Bikes should never be left in the street nor should they be parked where they are blocking sidewalks, intersections, doorways, ramps, or driveways.
The Bronx’s Fordham area is the third of four New York City pilot areas hosting dockless bike share. Earlier this month, the Rockaways became the first community to host dockless bikes, with the companies Lime and Pace providing coverage. Last Thursday, Mayor de Blasio announced the second installment of the pilot on Staten Island’s North Shore. Later this year, Coney Island in Brooklyn will also host a pilot with dockless bikes supplied by operators still to be determined.
Increased Access and Outreach: Both companies have announced plans to increase access to bike share as part of the pilot. The companies currently offer pay-as-you-go options with very modest up-front financial commitment. In addition, the companies offer these programs:
- “JUMP Boost” – The JUMP Boost Plan, at $5/month, allows participants to purchase 60 minutes of ride time per day every day ($.07/minute after the initial 60 minutes). JUMP Boost is available to New York City Housing Authority Residents and anyone currently enrolled in one of the following programs: Access NYC Heat and Utility Assistance; or NYC SNAP. JUMP Bikes has partnered with PayNearMe to provide Boost plan members the chance to add cash to their accounts by visiting nearby retailers. For information, email [email protected] or call 1 (833)-300-6106.
- Citi Bike SNAP discount – Earlier this month, Mayor de Blasio, DOT and HRA announced that Citi Bike would become more accessible by expanding their $5 per month membership, previously only available to NYCHA residents, to New Yorkers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. To apply for this discount, SNAP recipients can visit the Citi Bike website at https://www.citibikenyc.com/pricing/ and enter their EBT card number or NYCHA tenant ID
“These bikes will allow New Yorkers to better explore the Bronx greenway and Bronx parks,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Green spaces like Tremont Park and St. James Park will now be more easily accessible to those in the Fordham area.”
“The people of The Bronx have been anxious to give bike-sharing programs a try for quite some time now, and this pilot program will allow them the opportunity to do just that. I thank JUMP and CitiBike for partnering with the Department of Transportation on this pilot program, and I look forward from hearing my constituents thoughts as the pilot gets underway,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
“The Bronx has been ranked at the bottom of health rankings in New York State for too long. Bikeshare programs offer people an option, which not only benefits the environment by being emission-free but also themselves through increased physical activity,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “I look forward to the results of this pilot program and to the improved health of our communities.”
“JUMP was founded in New York and, like the City, we believe that biking should be an accessible, equitable experience,” said JUMP Bikes founder and CEO Ryan Rzepecki. “With the launch of 200 pedal-assist JUMP bikes in the Bronx, the borough’s residents and visitors will gain a fun and affordable new way to get around the Fordham area.”
“With more than 63 million rides and counting, Citi Bike is the perfect way to explore the Bronx and beyond,” said Jay Walder, President and CEO of Motivate, the operator of Citi Bike. “And with our newly expanded equity program, there’s now even more New Yorkers eligible for $5 a month discounted memberships. One membership, unlimited rides, with seamless connections throughout our great city — that’s the beauty of Citi Bike and we are thrilled to finally serve the communities of the central Bronx.”
DOT’s dockless bike share pilot is a result of a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) issued last December seeking ideas around next-generation “dockless” public bike share systems. Twelve different dockless companies had initially responded to the RFEI. The City will continue to support and strengthen Citi Bike, including through increased coverage announced last month by DOT in preparation for next year’s L train disruption. While Citi Bike will introduce new dockless bicycles as part of the Bronx pilot, all of the new dockless systems operate entirely outside of the Citi Bike area in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
For more information on New York City’s bike share system and to give feedback on the dockless pilot, please see https://nycdotbikeshare.info/