Cincy Red Bike reports overall ridership is strong, and a recent user survey shows demand for more e-bikes.
Red Bike surveyed users about its various initiatives, how people use the service, and what they'd like to see in the future. More than 840 people responded.
"One of the things that we did really learn that we need to improve on is the availability of e-bikes," says Doug McClintock, executive director. "To that point, we're bringing 130 e-bikes in for the spring of 2023, and we have plans and funding to continue this growth. People are clamoring for e-bikes everywhere — they make riding up our hills a little bit easier; they make getting started out at a light a little bit easier."
The pedal-assist bikes have a battery that adds force to the user's pedaling, making it easier to tackle Cincinnati's hilly terrain. He says the organization hopes to electrify its fleet by 2025.
McClintock says ridership remains consistent from year to year. He notes Red Bike topped 750,000 rides in late summer.
The new Go Program offers discounted memberships for people experiencing low income. McClintock says its a popular addition. A Red Bike station was installed in August at ShelterHouse's David and Rebecca Barron Center for Men on Gest Street.
"Since that point in time, that has become the number one most popular roundtrip station for our Go membership," he notes. "It is also number five amongst all stations (for all users). As we look at the percentage of rides that are being taken by our Go members, it is very, very large, and they are really utilizing stations in the places that they traveled."
Looking ahead, McClintock sees "massive" expansion coming in 2023 and 2024.
"We're starting to grow in a lot of ways. We received some financing from the city, and we have a large number of TA (Transportation Alternatives) grants from the federal government that are being administered through OKI. ... And that should bring us to several new neighborhoods in '23, '24 and beyond."
