As the Chicago bikeshare service extends to more area in the city, some of the stations are in less dense locations and get fewer riders. Thus, though Divvy's revenues have gone up, the income to the city from the program has gone down.
Chicago's Divvy Bikes program is getting bigger and now serves more people, but despite that investment less revenue is coming into the city.
One consistent criticism of Divvy has been a lack of investment in poor and minority neighborhoods. This year, Divvy has invested more in stations that get fewer rides or exist in less dense neighborhoods and that has meant both increased new construction costs and certain stations that get fewer rides. So, while overall rides have gone up, rides per station and overall income to the city have gone down.
"The city uses its Divvy income to pay for the Bicycling Ambassadors, a program that promotes safe biking and infrastructure such as painted bike lanes," Mary Wisniewski and Gregory Prat report for the Chicago Tribune. To continue supporting the Ambassador program at the rate it enjoyed last year, the city will have to find new sources of funding.
FULL STORY: Chicago sees drop in Divvy income following expansion into South, West sides
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
Chicago Bike Share Expands Citywide
Divvy is now available in all 50 wards, with more stations and bikes planned for the system in the next two years.
Chicago Wants Bike Sharing to Reach All Parts of City
The city recently received a grant that will help it grow its bike-share network, particularly into areas that have been underserved.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research