Austin, TX
Austin Bike Share Announces Major Expansion
Austin’s bike share network is set for a major expansion, reports Jo Clifton in the Austin Monitor. “Perhaps the most important news is that the agency plans to completely replace its full bicycle fleet to electric-assist bicycles, or e-bikes.” Cap Metro is partnering with PBSC Urban Solutions Inc. to upgrade 800 bikes and 80 stations in downtown Austin.
The expansion is funded by a $11.3 million Transportation Alternative Set-Aside (TASA) grant. According to the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Cap Metro), “MetroBike usage has grown from fewer than 5,000 per month in 2019 to more than 12,000 during the pandemic. Use of the bicycle fleet has recently grown to nearly 28,000 monthly trips.”