Shared bike and scooter season returns to Minneapolis

May 16, 2024
Public Works

With the warmer weather now here, shared electric bikes and scooters are back throughout Minneapolis. These, along with the City’s mobility hubs and the As You Go MPLS campaign, are all getting started for the season to help provide healthy, accessible, environmentally conscious ways for everyone to get around town, especially by bike.

“Traveling by scooter or bike is a win-win: it’s good for our health and it’s good for our planet,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Through our shared mobility hubs, we’re supporting community members in shifting their mindset on how they get around and helping them experience our city on two wheels. Thanks to our incredible City staff and local partners, like Lime and BikeMN, we are all pedaling towards a more sustainable future.”

Minneapolis Council President Elliott Payne, wearing a bike helmet, shared his personal perspective as a full-time biker in Minneapolis, something he has done for over 15 years throughout every season. “The ability to hop on a bike or a scooter, moving around Minneapolis with freedom and accessibility through our shared bike and scooter program, has huge and positive impacts on both mental and physical health.”

“I’m excited to join the City as Public Works Director at the start of mobility season,” said Tim Sexton, Public Works director. “The ‘As You Go MPLS’ campaign emphasis this year promotes biking as a safe, convenient and affordable way to get around the city and improve your physical health. Giving people real choices in shared mobility options, including the expansion of mobility hubs around the city, is crucial not only in reducing our impact on the climate but in providing healthy and carbon free alternatives for getting from point a to point b.”

Shared bikes and scooters from Lime and Veo – the City’s two licensed service providers – are now all over town and ready to be rented.  As with last season, riders can choose between two e-bikes: pedal assisted ones that add some speed whenever riders pedal, and e-bikes that power the ride even when there’s no pedaling.

To help make access more equitable, Lime and Veo must have least 30% of their shared bikes scooters in lower income areas of Minneapolis, and no more than 40% of them can be Downtown. Both companies also have low-income pricing programs for qualified residents.

“Lime, the world’s and Minneapolis’s leading provider of electric vehicles, is incredibly thankful to Mayor Frey, the City Council, and Public Works leadership for allowing us to partner with the City,” said Cooper Borchert of Lime Minneapolis. “Lime’s shared bikes and scooters have been the leading choice of Minneapolis residents looking for carbon-free, affordable, and reliable mobility to explore their city, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to continue to meet the needs of every resident across Minneapolis.”

Michael Wojcik, Executive Director of Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota said "Minneapolis remains a beating heart in the best metro area for walking, biking, and rolling in North America. The ‘As You Go’ initiative is the latest step towards a healthier, more prosperous, and more equitable city. BikeMN commends the City of Minneapolis on its visionary leadership."

Shared bike and scooter riders can end their trip anywhere in the city and just lock their bike to a bike rack or to any signpost except a stop sign or bus stop sign. Last year Public Works installed over two hundred forty of the familiar bright City Blue bike and scooter racks around the city that anyone can use for shared and personal vehicles. Riding and parking rules are printed on every blue rack and on the City’s website.  

Mobility hubs

Shared bikes and scooters can always be found at one of the City’s mobility hubs, which connect people to several different ways of getting around. This program, which began in 2019 with 12 hubs, now has 60 locations across Minneapolis. Look for “GO” signs at each mobility hub to see what services you’ll find there.  

Mobility hubs are always on transit lines, such as light rail, bus rapid transit, regular bus service, and Metro Transit’s micro service in north Minneapolis. Some mobility hubs include Hourcar and Evie electric car sharing as well as the EV chargers.

As You Go MPLS

All of these services support the As You Go MPLS campaign, which encourages people to leave their cars at home and try walking, biking, rolling or taking transit more often. This year, the campaign shares tips on how to get started and reasons why biking can be fun, affordable and stress free. As You Go MPLS supports the City’s Transportation Action Plan, which has a goal of having 60% of trips in Minneapolis taken by walking, biking or transit by 2030.

 

 

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