In June Streetsblog Chicago mentioned in depth the equity issues related to Divvy’s new e-bike pricing system, which kicked in on May 10.
In a nutshell, whereas the bike-share system beforehand waived the per-minute charges for utilizing its black or grey electrical bikes for journeys beginning or ending west of Western Avenue or south of Pershing Road, below the brand new scheme, all e-bike journeys contain a per-minute price. That’s not such an enormous deal in additional central neighborhoods, the place Divvy members can select to journey the older, blue non-electric bikes and pay no further use charges.
But in outlying communities – the place residents are typically extra doubtless to be low-income or blue-collar, there aren’t any full-service stations, the one form that accommodate the blue bikes. Therefore, individuals making journeys to and from these elements of city don’t have any selection however to use the e-bikes, and the per-minute charges can actually add up. (The scenario is a bit more complicated than what I’ve outlined right here – learn our full publish on the topic for extra particulars.)
Recently at a music competition I bumped into an acquaintance who beforehand labored for Lyft, the Divvy concessionaire, which runs the system for the Chicago Department of Transportation, which owns it. We mentioned the equity issues. “Look,” they stated frankly. “At this point the Divvy system can either be equitable, or it can be financially sustainable. But it can’t be both unless the city helps out Lyft financially.”
The ex-Lyft staffer argued that firm’s nine-year contract extension with the town, handed in 2019, was unrealistic. The deal referred to as for Lyft to purchase all the extra bikes and stations wanted to develop the system citywide; assured a minimal of $77 million in income for the town over the remaining 9 years of the contract, plus $10 million for the Divvy for Everyone discounted membership program; and included a number of different perks for Chicago. The former worker argued that the contract turned out to be unrealistic – it was mainly unattainable for Lyft to maintain up its finish of the deal with out making the system much more costly to use.
Meanwhile, Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st), one of many the City Council’s most bike-friendly members, launched a resolution eventually month’s Council assembly calling for Divvy to reply questions on what’s going on with its new pricing system.
“In spring 2022, Divvy implemented new pricing schemes for electric bikes, removing pricing benefits for areas targeted for equitable implementation of micromobility policies, and functionally increasing the cost of using electric bikes across the city,” La Spata famous. “The city implemented a “Chicago Moves” program in spring 2022, offering Chicago households in areas of want with help for his or her gasoline purchases or speedy transit passes.”
The alderperson recommended that “the city can encourage Chicagoans to increase Divvy trips by examining changes in pricing, and assessing ways to reduce pricing for electric bikes.” As such, the resolution referred to as for CDOT “to report on the current Divvy pricing schemes, and to report any changes in ridership trends as a result of these pricing schemes… and to report on the impacts of current Divvy pricing within areas that previously received discounts or waived pricing in order to achieve equitable mobility goals.”
Asked concerning the resolution, a CDPOT spokesperson mainly gave Streetsblog a non-answer: “The growth of Divvy has played a key role in expanding access to low-carbon, affordable mobility options in Chicago, and remains a critical part CDOT’s goals to create a more sustainable and equitable transportation network.”
However, Lyft spokesperson Jordan Levine indicated that the corporate could be keen to talk about Divvy’s present equity issues with LaSpata. “We share CDOT’s commitment to expanding the Divvy system with equity as a priority and guiding principle, and will support members of the City Council in exploring recent changes to Divvy as the system continues to mature,” he stated.
Kudos to La Spata for placing some strain on CDOT and Lyft to address equity considerations. After all Divvy is a incredible sustainable transportation system, but it surely’s not solely essential that it stays solvent, it additionally wants to be accessible to Chicagoans in all elements of the town, from all walks of life.