Citi Bike’s e-bikes are becoming too popular for their own good as Lyft struggles to keep up with maintenance and charging.
After describing a frustrating experience with broken e-bikes, John Surico asks in a piece for Curbed, “Why can’t Citi Bike keep its e-bikes running?”
To answer this, Surico first debunks the commonly held belief that non-functioning bike are due to the poor behavior of teen riders. “According to Lyft, vandalism only accounts for a small portion of the issues downing the fleet. Instead, it says it’s the system in place that’s struggling to keep up.” Bikes designed for about 5 rides a day are seeing as many as 15 daily rides, dramatically reducing their lifespan.
Charging also takes bikes out of service and adds hours of travel time for bike mechanics. While Citi Bike has proposed considering charging at stations, “hooking up the stations to energy grids with enough electricity to power multiple bikes at once is complex, requiring city support.”
According to Surico, the company’s recent surge of hiring shows they’re trying to meet the growing demand for Citi Bike. “For now, maintaining the Citi Bike system remains a Herculean logistics game involving an army of hundreds scouring the streets of New York City 24/7 to visit some 1,800 stations.”
FULL STORY: Why Are Citi Bike’s Electric Bikes Always Broken?
Indy Bike Share Sees Sharp Growth Thanks to Free Pass Program
A new fleet of e-bikes and free access for Marion County residents are getting more people on bikes.
Keeping NYC’s E-Bike Fleet Charged and Running
How a crew of hundreds maintains one of the world’s largest bike share systems.
Citi Bike’s New Prices Take Effect
The system plans to expand to 40,000 bikes and 2,000 stations.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.
California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland