City of Berkeley, CA
11/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/19/2024 18:15
Hundreds more e-bikes added to Berkeley’s bike share stations
221 e-bikes have been added to Bay Wheels bike share, which, like Lime and Veo scooters, are shared tools to help take short, one-way trips without the need to lock, charge, or maintain.
Published:
November 18, 2024
Last Updated:
November 19, 2024
Another 221 e-bikes have been added for shared use in Berkeley making it easier, faster, and more accessible to make one-way bike-trips throughout our corner of the East Bay.
Check out an e-bike - or one of the existing 391 non-electric pedal bikes - at one of the 37 bike share stations across Berkeley. Ride and then lock it up at a destination station - which will grow by 11 over the next year. You don't have to worry about theft, maintenance, or charging.
Bay Wheels, the Bay Area bike share operator, offers rates for one-time use as well as by day, month or year. Low-income memberships start at $5 for the first year, with rides of 5 cents per minute reaching a maximum of $1.
Jump on a bike to shorten the time to catch AC Transit or BART - or use one to ride back near your home. On an e-bike, you won't have to huff up the hill to see a concert at The Greek. Ride from Solano to The Lorin or even neighboring Oakland and Emeryville - cities that also have Bay Wheels stations.
The benefits of shared transportation tools extend to scooters like Lime and Veo, additional services the City has coordinated to make it easier for people of all abilities and incomes to move across Berkeley. Scooters can also take advantage of the City's growing network of bike lanes, cycle tracks and bike boulevards.
Explore Berkeley, Oakland, and Emeryville without having to worry about where you parked your bike; you can always just jump on a new one at a nearby station. Learn more at Bay Wheels.
How to use bay wheels bike share
To rent a Bay Wheels e-bike or non-electric bicycle, use the Lyft or Bay Wheels app to scan a bike's QR code and unlock it from the docking station.
You can rent a Bay Wheels any time without commitments. Bay Wheels does offer four memberships, where members receive free unlocks and discounted per minute pricing for e-bike rides:
- Monthly at $29 per month ($.15 per minute for first 45 minutes)
- Annual, at $150 per year ($.15 per minute for first 45 minutes)
- Lyft Pink, at $199 per year ($.15 per minute for first 45 minutes)
- Bikeshare for All for low-income users ($.05 per minute with a max payment of $1)
See BayWheels pricing details, including their Day Pass, which can be purchased on day of use for $.30 per minute with no time limit.
Each membership is cheaper than most new bikes - especially e-bikes.
Those with a Bay Wheels membership can unlock a bike with their Clipper card.
Unlike shared scooter services available in Berkeley, Bay Wheels bikes must be locked back into a docking station to complete your ride or risk a fine.
berkeley's bike share stations, infrastructure is growing
Bay Wheels' agreement with the City includes adding 11 more bike share stations next year. The City will be conducting public outreach to gather feedback for possible locations for the new stations.
The City of Berkeley's growing bike infrastructure, like bike share, helps reduces car traffic on our streets, encourages alternate transportation, and cuts vehicle-based greenhouse gas emissions - which are 60% of all such emissions in Berkeley.
The City is committed to building a model bicycle-friendly city, as stated in the Council-approved Berkeley Bicycle Plan. For example, the City has rebuilt key streets with heavy bicycle usage, such as Bancroft Way and Milvia Street, to include protected bikeways to create a safer bicycling experience.
shared mobility includes scooters
Unlike Bay Wheels, Veoride and Lime e-scooters can be parked at and locked to any public bike rack after use. (Learn how to report an improperly parked e-scooter)
Like Bikeshare for All membership program, income-qualified residents can receive discounted memberships via Veo Access and Lime Access.
Both Veo and Lime also offer adaptive electric vehicles for residents with disabilities who want more mobility.
- Wheelchaired users can reserve a Veo Electric Adaptive Wheelchair device to attach in front of their wheelchair; the device will be delivered upon reservation and picked up at end of the reservation's time frame.
- Lime delivers and picks up for free a suite of electric vehicles for a wide spectrum of abilities for free for a 24-hour period.
If you're interested in owning your own e-bike, visit local bicycle shops offering affordable options, check out future City-sponsored events promoting e-bikes, or try out Bay Wheels to get a feel for what that's like.
For your next trip to a BART station, a grocery store, or just a ride around town, know that bike share is an option that doesn't have the costs or worries of owning your own.