Bike-share returns to Boise

Valley Regional Transit (VRT) is pleased to announce that a pilot electric bike-share program has launched in Boise.

With the pilot program, which began July 13 and will run through October 31, VRT hopes to demonstrate the benefits of electric-assist bike-share as an additional mobility solution for the region. Bikes will be available for rental 24-hours a day at a rate of $10 per hour. Monthly memberships will also be available for $39, which will include an hour of free ride time daily.

The 50 electric-assist shared bicycles came from Drop Mobility, a company that won a VRT bike-share request for proposal more than two years ago. Drop offered a low-cost lease of the demonstration bikes, with the goal of generating interest in the new system and attracting sponsors for a more extensive system next year.

Electric-assist shared bicycles have transformed the bike-share industry. Cities that have adopted the technology routinely see a dramatic increase in ridership because users can more easily get to their destinations with the added electric boost. Plans for the bike-share system include more bikes, but also efforts to distribute the bikes more equitably throughout the community.

Valley Regional Transit operated the Boise GreenBike system from April 2015 until September of 2020. VRT closed the system because of the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of title sponsors, and equipment technology issues.

Capital City Development Corp. (CCDC) has committed to $50,000 to support the launch of the new bike share pilot program. In addition to their initial investment in the program, CCDC is matching the next $50,000 in sponsorships. VRT has secured $10,000 from the Treasure Valley Clean Cities Coalition and $5,000 from the Idaho Advocates for Community Transportation, which will be matched by CCDC. The match offer from CCDC will expire on September 1, 2022. Interested sponsors should contact Dave Fotsch, Programs Director with Valley Regional Transit, at dfotsch@valleyregionaltransit.org or by phone at 208-331-9266.