Tag Archive: bike sharing

  1. The invisible municipal boundaries affecting Europe’s bike share

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    Source: Zag Daily

    The shared-bike landscape in much of Europe can often involve a rider needing to switch from one bike and operator system to another, to continue their journey in a different municipality. The rising proportion of electric bikes in bike-share fleets makes longer journeys more possible, increasing the likelihood of these borders being crossed. Public micromobility services provider Inurba Mobility examines how sharing systems can be grown beyond municipal boundaries.

    Spain-based Inurba Mobility commissioned mobility research specialists the Urban Cycling Institute to investigate the governance of metropolitan bike sharing, including speaking with those managing implementation and operation. The aim was to learn from European examples for the expansion of Spain’s bike sharing systems beyond municipal boundaries.

    Different cities’ experiences

    Paris took an opportunity in 2018 when contract renewal was due, to not only change the operator, but also set up a new joint authority reaching beyond just the city, which is now AGEMOB, with responsibility for shared mobility in the Greater Paris Metropolis Area.

    The MEVO system which operates in the cities of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot in northern Poland is overseen across 17 municipalities by the metropolitan body OMGGS, which administrates public transport matters alongside other responsibilities. This model enables smaller municipalities to join a network which would be difficult to build at a local level.

    In the Finnish cities of Helsinki and Espoo, the UCI study has highlighted the critical role of the regional transport authority, HSL, which ensures clear responsibilities and regular dialogue between stakeholders including cities, operators and sponsors. A tender process currently in progress is adopting a joint procurement approach, enabling the extension of services to more than one municipality.

    In Copenhagen, the UCI study showed that legal barriers were limiting public transport operators’ involvement in bike sharing, leading to the region’s authorities to fund a pilot scheme. Post-pilot, local councils needed to fund the continuing service; the next contract will include aims to ensure a strong municipal commitment from the local-level authorities.

    Two German shared-mobility systems, VRNrad and Metropolradruhr, are both overseen by a metropolitan transport authority, with functionalities of the systems including integration with local transport and the ability to cross borders between German states.

    The implications for Spain

    Reflecting on the study, Alejandro Martín Barraza, Bid Manager and Urban Planner for Inurba Mobility, said, “There is no single formula to import. The common thread is that someone at metropolitan scale took responsibility. Contracts, funding and decision-making arrangements followed. That order matters.”

    Four Spanish territories (Bizkaia, Pamplona, Valladolid and Barcelona) are already taking different approaches to expansion, with the most fragmented example being Barcelona, where the two different systems do not currently form a continuous operational network, though there are indications of a future merge.

    Barraza argues that no one approach is inherently right or wrong. “The European examples matter because they show that different institutions can take responsibility, provided their mandate and the contractual framework support metropolitan coordination.”

    He goes on to state that a solution is not necessarily the creation of a new organisation to oversee expansion, but possibly looking at which existing body could take on the responsibility, with consideration for what mandate, resources and agreements it would need. A key aspect is that the ability of other municipalities to join must be considered from the outset.

    User benefits

    Streamlined expansion of bike-sharing services offers advantages including simpler pricing structures, single apps, and easier hire and return of vehicles. Expansion also enables greater integration with existing public transport networks, further enhancing the user experience, while helping a region achieve sustainable mobility goals.

  2. Bike-sharing in Dublin survey

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    Source: Irish Cycle

    With funding from the EU research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, University College Dublin is currently conducting a survey to understand how the city’s bike sharing systems are being used. The university has put out a call for survey participants to help aid decision making and uptake for the mobility mode.

    Key motivations behind doing the study are learning about who is using bike sharing in the Irish capital, and how.

    Professor and Chair of Smart and Sustainable Cities at University College Dublin, Francesco Pilla, has explained the reasoning behind the study:

    “Nobody can tell you who actually uses bike share in Dublin. We know how many trips DublinBikes, Bleeper and Moby generate. We know far less about who is making them, and why — commuters, students, people linking to the Luas, people running errands, people who tried it twice and gave up.”

    “That gap matters. When coverage, docking and subsidy decisions get made, ‘who is this actually for’ is the question that goes unanswered,” he said.

    “So we’re asking directly. If you’ve ever used a shared bike in Dublin — once, daily, or somewhere in between — this survey is for you. Anonymous, and we’ll publish what we find,” adds Pilla.

    The anonymous survey can be completed here.

  3. The role of social bike leasing and bike sharing in driving behaviour change

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    Source: Cities Today

    The European bike-sharing sector is looking towards social leasing programmes, alongside traditional bike-sharing models, in the search for new ways to encourage the long-term adoption of cycling as an everyday means of transport.

    A recent discussion organised by ECI heard from a range of industry representatives, exploring pathways to convert occasional shared-bike users into regular riders. Taking part in the discussion were Nick Brown of bike-share consultancy Haveconsult, Jhon Alexander Ramirez of bike-share solutions provider nextbike, and Alessia Di Maio of Lyft Urban Solutions.

    The discussion explored the notion that, while the expansion of bike-share networks is an important factor in encouraging greater cycling uptake, other factors are also crucial. Longer-term access to bikes is key, as are strong integration with public transport, and consistent investment in supporting infrastructure.

    Successful social leasing in practice

    Nick Brown, Haveconsult Head of Consulting, held up France as a positive example for fostering increased bicycle uptake through social leasing schemes. “There are currently around 150,000 bikes in France already applied on social leasing schemes, subsidised schemes where people get access to an electric bike, which then helps deliver the behaviour change that you need to convert people to bicycle users.”

    He pointed to the role social leasing can play in encouraging people to shift from just trying cycling, to using bicycles on a regular basis. “Bike share might just give someone their first ride and then their introduction to cycling. Social leasing is that real tool that helps deliver the behaviour change programmes.”

    The importance of investment

    The speakers stressed that investment is crucial if cities want bike-sharing systems to become embedded in urban mobility networks. Alessia Di Maio, Lyft’s Public Affairs Manager, highlighted that investment commitments are a sure sign of a city’s intentions towards prioritising cycling and shared mobility. “If bike sharing is not publicly funded, whatever the policy document says, that’s not actually a priority for cities.”

    She also argued that successful bike-share systems require dedicated street space and infrastructure, in order to support broad uptake and effective public transport integration. “Real investments in bike share means dedicated street space, capex investment that drives stronger ridership, modal integration, transit integration.”

    Diversified fleets and wider availability

    Jhon Alexander Ramirez, nextbike’s Public Affairs Manager, identified three major developments he sees as shaping the future of bike sharing: social leasing, increasing fleet diversity, and regionalisation of schemes. These aspects are evolving as operators look to serve a broader range of journey and user types.

    On the topic of diversifying fleets, he said,“We are now talking about cargo bikes, tricycles and other special vehicles that are adapted to the needs of our population.” Regarding the growing importance of integrating bike sharing with wider transport systems beyond city centres, he stated, “We really consider it as a clear solution and a clear element to complement public transit in cities and regions.”

  4. The advantages of station-based bike sharing

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    Source: ATOM Mobility

    The latest European Shared Mobility Index from Fluctuo indicates that station-based bike sharing systems are proving to be resilient in the midst of fluctuations in the shared mobility sector, offering a variety of advantages to both operators and cities.

    The index for 2025 puts the total number of shared mobility trips across Europe at 709 million, with bike-sharing services accounting for 363 million of these trips. Public bike-sharing systems generated 239 million of these trips, and privately operated schemes 124 million.

    Although the Fluctuo index no longer differentiates between station-based and dockless systems, the report does state that publicly subsidised schemes are predominantly station-based, whereas private schemes primarily rely on dockless bikes; therefore it can be inferred that the majority of the 239 million trips on public shared-bike schemes were made on station-based bikes.

    Shifting priorities

    A clear theme emerging from the latest index is that the shared mobility market is becoming more disciplined. Operators are now more focused on locations where sustainable long-term operation is feasible, rather than chasing every possible opportunity. Cities are also becoming more selective, favouring more controlled systems that can fit in alongside existing wider transport networks.

    These shifts represent favourable conditions for station-based bike sharing systems. In comparison to free-floating dockless fleets, they offer predictable parking, easier fleet management, and a strong integration with public transport networks.

    The position of e-bikes

    Historically, many station-based systems have operated mainly with non-electric bikes, however newer systems are are starting to incorporate more electric bike models into their fleets – 26% of station-based systems’ bikes are now electric. The Fluctuo index shows that public bike sharing systems see a significantly higher trips-per-vehicle-per-day (TVD) score for their electric bikes than for non-electric (4.6 and 2.1 respectively).

    Examples of success

    In Paris, the Vélib’ system features thousands of electric and non-electric bikes across an expansive station network covering a large part of the city. Its approximately 48.5 million trips in 2025 made it the highest-ridership public bike-sharing system in Europe. It has become a natural part of many Parisians’ daily commute alongside the public transport network of metro, buses and trains, indicating a high level of dependability.

    Barcelona’s Bicing system also combines electric and non-electric bikes, and is strongly integrated into the city’s transport ecosystem for residential commuters. The city is going through a period of change with regard to shared mobility, after shared scooters were banned, private dockless schemes are being phased out, and the Bicing system looks set to merge with the suburban AMBici system of public dockless bikes.

    Milan’s BikeMi system grew steadily with dense station placement, and enjoyed strong commuter adoption and good integration with the city’s public transport network. Its offering of both electric and non-electric bikes represents a reliable transport option for both residents and visitors.

    These three examples, while differing in scale and geography, share common characteristics of good integration with city transportation networks, high station density, and predictable rider experiences.

  5. Barcelona’s municipal bike sharing systems look set to merge

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    Sources: Zag Daily, Russpain Image source: Mahdi Samadzad, Unsplash

    Barcelona transport authorities have spoken about their ambitions to make the city’s two municipal bike-share systems, AMBici and Bicing, interoperable, to create a public network that spans the whole metropolitan region. This comes against a backdrop of non-renewal of the city’s private bike-share operators, with licenses expiring in December 2026.

    First implemented in 2007, the 8,000-strong Bicing network serves the inner-city area, and its use is limited to residents, rather than tourists. The AMBici system, operated by Connectambike, was launched in 2023 and spans 15 municipalities across the northern and southern edges of Barcelona’s metropolitan area, and is open to both residents and tourists alike.

    Private, dockless bike-share systems joined the mix in 2020 following a tender process, with the initial ten operators settling to the current seven which between them manage a fleet of 3,500 units. However the management of these has been recently reported to be problematic, with numerous violations of parking and operating rules, and the operators receiving 5,500 fines since the beginning of 2025.

    Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), the public transport authority with responsibility for the city’s mobility network, aims to introduce a closer integration between AMBici and Bicing, with a long-term ambition to make the two systems interoperable.

    Joaquim Balsera Garcia, TMB Chief Officer of Corporate and International Business and Marketing, said, “When AMBici connects with Bicing, Barcelona will host one of the largest bike sharing services in all of Europe. We want to manage AMBici not as an isolated service but as a fully integrated first and last-mile service. The plan is to consolidate a truly intermodal system in which each mode contributes value to the whole.”

    AMBici was specifically designed to integrate with the city’s wider public transport network, with the e-bikes concentrated mainly around transport hubs such as metro and bus interchanges. This is in contrast to Bicing, which tends to be used as a complete alternative to bus or metro trips.

    The question of how a merger of the residents-only Bicing and tourist-accessible AMBici would work in practice remains: “The merging of bike sharing across Bicing and AMBici is a future challenge for metropolitan mobility.”

    Expansion challenges

    TMB’s ambitions are to extend AMBici further than the current regions served; incremental expansions of the system to date have highlighted some of the operational challenges of balancing the services across a wider area. Demand shifts during the early-morning commuting hours had historically required a lot of manual coordination, however AI-driven fleet management tools, developed by Qucit and introduced by AMBici in 2025, have helped move from reactive to predictive logistics. Qucit also handles the Bicing fleet management.

    Raphaël Cherrier, Founder and CEO of Qucit, describes the challenge: “Many trips go from one municipality to the other which means that, during the night, Connectambike’s teams need to rebalance the bikes and ensure that each municipality is treated fairly by 5:00AM.” He also described the differences between the two existing networks, with AMBici’s low density of bikes a contrast to Bicing’s inner-city offering. “In a dense area, you have a lot of bikes. Here, they are more spread out. So it’s a significant challenge in terms of field operations because every time you move bikes, you have to do it efficiently and be very mindful of the kilometres travelled.”

  6. An insight into Budapest’s evolving bike share system, with OEMBikes as supplier

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    Source: Zag Daily Image credit: Zag Daily

    The next generation of the Hungarian capital’s bike share system will be unveiled next month, which will involve e-bikes for the first time. Zag Daily outlines the progress of the Bubi 3.0 project, which has LEVA-EU member OEMBikes as the bicycle supplier.

    Budapest is getting ready for a relaunch of one of the most established bike share systems in Europe, which has reportedly had 10 million rides in its lifetime by 2024.

    The legacy of the Bubi bike sharing system

    After being first introduced in 2014, Bubi has transitioned from a pilot project to being a key part of Budapest’s transportation network. It received an overhaul in 2021, with a new fleet of 1,200 bicycles, which has since grown to 2,500.

    According to the public transport authority Budapesti Közlekedési Központ (BKK), in 2025, Bubi recorded over 2.9 million trips at an average of 8,000 per day.

    Bubi 3.0

    After the end of the previous operating contract in December 2025, BKK launched a new tender for the bike sharing network’s next phase, Bubi 3.0. It partnered up with Inurba Mobility, OEMBikes and Urban Sharing’s fleet platform, with the aim of redesigning and expanding its network, which is scheduled to be rolled out next month.

    An exclusive look at Bubi 3.0

    BKK and Inburba took Zag Daily behind the scenes, detailing how Bubi is being upgraded.

    When describing the next generation of the bike sharing system, BKK’s Senior Product Manager Anna Rónay said the following to Zag Daily:

    “Every version of Bubi has had a defining idea attached to it. Bubi 1.0 was the one that started it all and proved that bike sharing works in Budapest. Bubi 2.0 became the popular one where ridership surged. And Bubi 3.0 will be the one for everyone.”

    The new Bubi e-bike has been pictured camouflaged, as BKK will be unveiling its design in a few weeks.

    The planned implementation of Bubi 3.0

    Bikes will be supplied by OEMBikes with management through Urban Sharing’s fleet platform.

    The next generation will involve a significant expansion in its fleet size and operational design.

    Its contract is 5 years with an option of extension for an additional 18 months.

    Initially, there will be a rollout of approximately 3,000 bicycles (around 800 more than the previous Bubi generation) with e-bikes being introduced for the first time. BKK and Inurba are hoping to expand the system to 5,000 bikes next year, and eventually 8,000 if there is enough demand for it.

    As well as an increase in the number of bicycles, Bubi’s area coverage will also grow with an anticipated expansion of up to 40 km (doubling the service area of the previous system), once the 5,000 bikes are deployed.

    BKK’s Head of Digital Channels Development, Bence Nagy, outlines the goal of the project:

    “The goal isn’t to replace personal bikes. It’s to encourage people to use bikes for the first time as part of the wider public transport network and realise how efficient cycling can be.”

    Nagy also explains how Bubi 3.0 will be evaluated:

    “What drives the system’s growth and direction will be how customers use it. We’ll be looking at how many rides are taken, which of the bikes customers are using – whether mechanical or electric – and where the bikes are being picked up. We’ll scale the fleet based on what we see.”

    Bubi using e-bikes for the first time

    One of the most notable changes for the upcoming Bubi generation is the introduction of e-bikes, which will unlock a large e-bike sharing dataset that can be used to optimise the system’s efficiency for the long term.

    Damien Vander Heyden, Inurba’s Director of Business Development explains how e-bike use will be monitored. “We know that by introducing e-bikes, demand will increase, but we don’t know exactly how and where. This is something we’ll be managing with predictive tools and real-time system monitoring. We’re very curious to see the effect of introducing e-bikes into Budapest.”

  7. Bike-sharing reaches record levels in Paris

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    Source: Les Echos

    The French capital’s status as the shared-cycling capital in Europe has been cemented with its rides increasing by 6 million, from 70 million in 2024 to 76 million in 2025.

    Paris has over 1,000 km of cycling paths which experiences great demand from both local Parisians and tourists. It is served by both the public Vélib’ network, as well as private operators Lime, Dott, and most recently, Voi.

    Its market has become more dynamic since Voi has taken up a share of 25% of dockless bike shares through rapid deployment and aggressive pricing in the three months since it arrived in 2025.

    Although public operator Vélib’ is still the market leader, which is used for millions of rides monthly, it is facing increased pressure due to recent price hikes, disruptions to its services, and fraud incidents that have led it to temporarily reduce its fleet to approximately 17,000 bikes. Read the full article here.

  8. Bike sharing market stabilising in the Netherlands

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    Source: Fietsberaad

    Over the past year, the number of shared bicycles in the region has increased by 2% to 27,300, as the number of rentals has also increased, according to the State of Shared Mobility 2025 report published by CROW-KpVV and Natuurlijk!Deelmobiliteit.

    This latest news about market stabilisation comes after the Netherlands’ shared bicycle market has experienced growth and decline in recent years.

    Shared vehicle data comparison

    In 2025, the number of shared vehicles in the Netherlands exceeded 46,000 in September, a 6% increase in comparison to 2024.

    Apart from cargo bikes, each shared vehicle mode reported an increase from the previous year:

    • Shared bicycles increased by 2%
    • Shared scooters increased by 3%
    • Shared cars increased by 15%
    • Shared cargo bikes decreased by 29% to 657

    Bike sharing providers

    The number of bike-sharing providers declined from 17 to 14 last year. OV-fiets remains the Netherlands’ largest bike sharing provider, representing two-thirds of all services. It experienced minimal growth in the number of shared bicycles, as this figure increased by 5% for other providers.

    With regional concessions expected for bike sharing in the cities of Utrecht and Eindhoven, growth is anticipated to continue in 2026.

    The share of electric shared bicycles has increased to 21 percent.

    Shared bicycle rentals increasing

    Figures from providers (excluding public transport bicycle sharing company OV-fiets) has revealed that shared bicycle rentals increased by 13% from 2022 to 2025, with the number of rentals per day for each bike also rising.

    The most common purposes for using shared bicycles were for friends or family visits, day trips, holidays, or events, followed by commuting and business trips.

    The most significant reason for shared bicycle use by a large amount was usage in combination with public transport, with most trips on a non-electric shared bike taking place after a train journey – 76%.

    Meanwhile, for shared e-bike usage, the usage reasons of combining with public transportation, door-to-door transport option, flexibility, comfort, as well as travel time were considered equally important for riders.

    An electric shared bike is normally accessed on foot (52 %) or by train (25 %).

    Municipalities offering bike sharing

    The number of municipalities offering bike-sharing services has remained the same at 212. The highest amount of shared bicycles is in the major Dutch cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven, and Groningen. In terms of the highest number of shared bikes per 100,000 residents, Eindhoven, Utrecht, and Leiden scored the highest.

    Shared cargo bikes and scooters

    There are currently two shared cargo bike providers in the Netherlands, with their availability having decreased from 12 to 8 Dutch cities. Amsterdam accounts for the most shared cargo bikes by a significant amount, with 334 cargo bikes, representing over half of this mode of shared transportation in the Netherlands.

    In regards to shared scooters, there are two providers, which have decreased from being available in 31 to 26 Dutch cities. The cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam account for the majority of shared e-scooters.

    Shared e-scooter rentals had experienced a slight decrease in recent years, as well as the number of rentals for each scooter per day.
    The full State of Shared Mobility 2025 report, which also includes shared mobility for the business market for the first time, can be accessed online.

  9. OEMBikes appointed bike sharing supplier in Budapest

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    Source: OEMBikes

    The LEVA-EU member has been selected as the bicycle supplier for Bubi 3.0, Budapest’s next-generation public bike-sharing system, representing a major step forward for shared urban mobility in the Hungarian capital, a significant milestone for all partners involved in the contract obtained by INURBA Mobility.

    The Bubi 3.0 programme will see a progressive rollout of up to 5,000 bicycles across Budapest, including approximately 1,000 electric bikes. The system will be deployed through an extensive network of stations and mobility hubs, known as Mobi-Points, designed to strengthen intermodality and improve everyday access to shared cycling for residents and visitors alike.

    OEMBikes’ appointment follows a competitive tender process and positions the company at the heart of one of Europe’s most ambitious public bike-sharing upgrades. While winning the tender marks an important achievement, OEMBikes emphasises that the focus now shifts firmly to delivery, working closely with INURBA Mobility and fellow partners Urban Sharing and Qucit to implement a reliable, scalable and future-ready system.

    INURBA Mobility, which will lead operations and system delivery, has highlighted Bubi 3.0 as a major leap forward in terms of scale, technology and service quality for Budapest. The company will contribute its operational and technical expertise to ensure a user-centric service aligned with the city’s long-term mobility objectives.

    OEMBikes has acknowledged the trust placed in the consortium and underscored the importance of collaboration in bringing the project to life. The company has expressed confidence that the combined experience of all partners, alongside close cooperation with BKK – Budapest Transport Centre, will translate strategic ambition into measurable, real-world impact.

    As the project moves into its implementation phase, OEMBikes and its partners are preparing to deliver a system designed to make cycling a more accessible, attractive and integral part of daily transport in Budapest.