Skip to main content

Four New York boroughs to trial dockless bike-share scheme

Four boroughs in New York will host a dockless bike share scheme this summer to offer citizens an inexpensive transportation option. The project, announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio, will allow the city to evaluate different dockless companies as well as those offering pedal-assist bikes. Initially, two pilots will launch in beach communities Coney Island in Brooklyn and the Rockaways in Queens in July. Two more initiatives will then follow in the neighbourhood near Fordham University in the Bronx and on Sta
June 4, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Four boroughs in New York will host a dockless bike share scheme this summer to offer citizens an inexpensive transportation option. The project, announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio, will allow the city to evaluate different dockless companies as well as those offering pedal-assist bikes.


Initially, two pilots will launch in beach communities Coney Island in Brooklyn and the Rockaways in Queens in July. Two more initiatives will then follow in the neighbourhood near Fordham University in the Bronx and on Staten Island's North Shore.

The project stems from a Request for Expressions of Interest issued by Department of Transport (DoT) in December 2017 that sought ideas around next-generation dockless public bike share systems.

The DoT will present plans to each community board and establish the boundaries for each area. In addition, the department will select the companies assigned to the communities.

These bikes will arrive on a rolling basis with the intention of having 200 models available to offer riders half-hour journeys. Users will be able to rent the vehicles from a mobile phone, usually for $1 or $2 per ride.

During the initiative, the DoT will assess companies' compliance with pilot requirements around data accessibility and user privacy. The criteria will also include the safety, availability and durability of the bikes.

After September, the DoT will work with local stakeholders to extend or discontinue the trials based on performance.

Related Content

  • High-res traffic data provides planners with the big picture
    November 5, 2015
    Road authorities have a lot to gain from high-resolution traffic data, argues Pravin Varaiya. Traffic engineers have traditionally been forced to operate with limited data regarding the performance of their arterials. Traffic studies are often commissioned once every three years, over a few days, to get an updated estimate of utilization.
  • Siemens supports Rome EV-sharing 
    April 19, 2021
    Siemens Smart Infrastructure providing start-up electric vehicle firm On with charge stations
  • Via embeds AVs into Texas transport 
    April 7, 2021
    May Mobility is providing five AVs for RAPID service area 
  • Switching Atlanta onto MaaS
    May 9, 2019
    It’s easy to talk about MaaS in the abstract – but MaaS isn’t going to work if it’s just a theory. Colin Sowman speaks to one woman about the practical benefits - and difficulties - of getting out of her car and switching to public transit in Atlanta, Georgia One of the first goals of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) inventor Sampo Hietanen is that MaaS should persuade households they don’t need a second car. This is starting to happen - even in the car-dominated US. Last year, authorities in the state of Ge