Check out this sweet ride!

Excited is an Understatement

Pittsburgh Bike Share just held their first press conference to announce their title sponsor: Highmark and Allegheny Health Network! So it’s official — Healthy Ride will launch in late May with 500 bikes at 50 stations. Pittsburgh Bike Share has contracted with NextBike, a German company, to supply the bicycles. The bikes are high-tech and will have seven gears to cruise our hills(more than any other bike share system in the US), a front rack for groceries and bags, a relaxed geometry, and a unique locking system.

Timeline

In April Hardware and bikes are being delivered.

Mid April Bike share stations will begin to appear on streets across Pittsburgh.

April 30 All bike share stations will be installed.

Late May Bike share will open for use!



Funding

Our bike share system has been funded by federal Grants, by Highmark and Allegheny Health Network the title sponsor, and with foundation support. No city funding has been used used, though the city has provided immense support by improving the built environment by adding lighting and improving bike infrastructure.



Healthy Ride vs. Pittsburgh Bike Share

Sponsored by Highmark and Allegheny Heath Network, Healthy Ride is the name of Pittsburgh’s bike share system which is owned and operated by Pittsburgh Bike Share, a non-profit organization. Similarly, the non profit organization Midwest BikeShare operates Milwaukee’s Bublr Bike Share program.



Photos

More photos from the press event are available on our Flickr page.

FAQs

Does Pittsburgh Bike Share hope to expand Healthy Ride and add more stations?

Yah! “We hope to aggressively expand the stations into more neighborhoods,” says Pittsburgh Bike Share Director, David White.

What about helmets?

BYOH.

How will I purchase a pass?

On the Healthy Ride website. There’s no cash payment option now (only credit and debit cards) but they hope to have one in the future.

Registration cost?

$FREE$

How much will it cost to ride?

You can get a healthy ride at just $2 per half hour — making it one of the most affordable bike share systems in the country. For $12 per month you can take unlimited 30-minute rides.

Is there an app for that?

There is! Using the app you’ll be able to check the availability of bikes and more!

How can I bring bike share to my neighborhood?

Pittsburgh Bike Share won’t be begin pursuing new stations for a few months yet, but you can contact them to tell them your interest.

How can I learn more?

Follow Healthy Ride on Twitter and Facebook!

How were the locations of the stations determined?

Locations the locations were developed by a collaboration between the City of Pittsburgh and neighborhood groups.

Data?

PGH Bike Share will be releasing station and use data to the public within a it’s first year of operation.



Don’t Worry…

Will the introduction of Healthy Ride cause a huge increase in the number of bike crashes and injuries?

Really, really unlikely.

Will Healthy Ride bring a number of inexperienced riders onto the streets causing huge headache for people who have more experience riding Pittsburgh’s streets?

No.



…Ride Happy

Will Healthy Ride provide a healthy, convenient transportation option for many Pittsburghers?

Yep.

Will workers Downtown and in many other neighborhoods have an expanded sphere of where they’ll be able to grab lunch within an hour?

Yup.



History

We’re proud to say that we’ve been a part of Pittsburgh’s bike share story since the beginning. Pittsburgh Bike Share was originally founded in December 2012 and incubated by Bike Pittsburgh. The organization was founded based on mounting interest in implementing a municipal bike share system in Pittsburgh from a collection of local leaders: planners at the City of Pittsburgh, business leaders at Walnut Capital, and us your friendly, local all-powerful bike/ped lobby.

In 2013 we spearheaded the critical fundraising to cover planning and capital costs as part of a mandatory match to a $1.6 million Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality improvement (CMAQ) grant from the Federal Highway Administration. This fundraising campaign launched the bike share project. We then worked alongside leaders at the Department of City Planning, hired Alta Planning + Design to develop a business plan for the program. Alta Planning + Design, in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning, conducted a thorough community outreach and planning operation and completed the business plan in 2013.

We expect that Pittsburgh’s bike share system too will have a transformative effect on Pittsburgh, much like bike share systems have done the world over.

Join as a BikePGH Monthly Member for a chance to win an All-City Macho Man Disc Cross bike!



It’s a BikePGH membership drive and giveaway! Support safer streets year round by joining as a monthly member Wednesday, April 1 through Saturday, April 25th, and you’ll be entered to win an All-City Macho Man Disc Cross Bike. Available in any size. Huge thanks to All-City Cycles and Thick Bikes for their generosity!

*Click here for giveaway rules and regulations.