New Report Lays Out the Path Forward for Municipal Bikeshare

SAN FRANCISCO — Amidst rising complaints about bike-share fees, Supervisor Dean Preston today announced the release of a new report from the Budget and Legislative Analyst laying out the path forward for a municipal bike-share program.

“We need bold action to meet the demand for green transportation in our city. That means thinking big when it comes to public transportation, and includes asking whether our City’s public transportation system should include a municipal bike-share program,” said Supervisor Preston. “I’m excited to work with all stakeholders to explore alternatives to our current, privatized model. My hope is to make bike-share as transparent, accountable, equitable, and affordable as possible.”

The report comes at a critical time, as riders are questioning the future of bike share, especially as the costs continue to go up. The current contract is set to end in 2027, but with a significant Covid-induced ridership decline, and the BLA’s conclusion that the current bike-share program is unlike ly to generate a profit, Lyft could seek to exit the contract prior to 2027. If Lyft were to liquidate their assets, similar to the former operator in Montreal, the City could have an opportunity to act earlier, subject to MTC approval.

The BLA report details the bike share experience to date, as well as the following models used by various cities: (a) public ownership and operation (Montreal), (b) public ownership and private operation (Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C.), and (c) private ownership and operation (New York, San Francisco). As noted in the report, Montreal is the only citywide publicly owned and managed bike share in North America. The annual cost to run a municipal bike-share program, as estimated by the BLA, would range from $13.3 - $18.2 million.

The Bay Area Bike Share Program Agreement between MTC and Lyft states that the goal of the bike-share program is to provide an alternative mode of public transportation in the Bay Area and to encourage bicycle use as a healthy, environmentally friendly, and congestion reducing transportation option. Private ownership and operation by a Transportation Network Company (TNC) such as Lyft could conflict with the program’s goal, where the core business of Lyft and other TNCs is the provision of auto-based private transportation services that generate a profit. TNCs do not enhance the use of public transportation, instead, they promote increased car-generated air pollution and congestion.

“We are excited to partner with Supervisor Preston on alternatives to our for-profit bikeshare system, especially as we continue to see prices go up and ridership decline, " said Claire Amable, Senior Community Organizer of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. “Bikeshare is a crucial community resource, and a municipal bike-share program would allow oversight and control to serve our transportation, environmental and equity goals”

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