Overview
- Transportation Alternatives has formally called on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to cap member e‑bike rides at $3 and to widen discounted or free memberships for seniors, high school students aged 16 and over, and city employees.
- Citi Bike members currently face a reported charge of $12.15 for a 45‑minute e‑bike ride on top of a $239 annual membership, while the city provides no direct subsidy for the system operated by Lyft.
- Lyft and Citi Bike say e‑bikes cost more to run because of battery maintenance, insurance and the labor to replace batteries, and the current contract allows the operator to raise fares before it expires in 2029.
- A bill backed by City Councilmember Christopher Marte would require the city to subsidize rides to reach a $3 fare, and advocates say other U.S. cities lower e‑bike costs by treating bike share as public transit funded in part by tax dollars.
- The DOT says it is committed to affordability and will seek stronger rider benefits in short‑term talks and use the 2029 contract renegotiation as the main leverage point to push for price caps or subsidies.