Chicago extends Divvy contract with changes to parking and new bike model coming
The City of Chicago is extending its contract with Divvy as the network of rentable bikes, e-bikes and scooters plans to bring changes to its system, including discounted pricing on the South and West sides and updates to its equipment.
Divvy, operated by Lyft, has locked in business with the city until 2033, the city announced Wednesday.
The bikes originally launched in 2013 and use has steadily grown since then, with the company reporting 6.8 million rides last year.
“As we continue to make equitable investments to build safer streets throughout our neighborhoods, we are committed to keeping transportation affordable and reliable while modernizing the system to provide residents and visitors with a safe, accessible, and dependable way to get where they need to go,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a news release.
Divvy will introduce a 50% discount on non-member rides that start or end on the South and West Sides, a plan that Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) said “is about making sure the system continues to work for more people in more neighborhoods.”
The company is launching other cost-saving measures for customers, too. The price for annual memberships will be frozen, and scooter pricing will also be reduced, the release said. The company will implement a cap on price increases throughout the duration of the contract.
Thousands more e-bikes and scooters will be added under the new contract and a new model of the classic bike will be introduced, which adds a cable lock and rear wheel immobilizers.
Divvy also aims to simplify parking by adding overflow and “virtual stations,” or public bike racks where Divvy bikes and scooters can be kept, allowing users to end trips even when the Divvy stations are full.
The contract extension still needs to be approved by the City Council.
Divvy is planning to expand its “Core Area,” the high-use locations in the city where the company will add more classic bikes, e-bikes, scooters and station docks. More than 100 union jobs will be added with this part of the contract, the release said.
