Tag Archive: USA

  1. Chicago reports record shared bike and scooter trips in 2025

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    Source: SmartCitiesWorld

    The US city has reported its highest-ever annual ridership on shared bikes and scooters, with residents taking 12.9 million trips in 2025, marking nearly two million more journeys than the previous year. These latest figures reflect a rising demand for convenient, affordable transportation options, alongside continued citywide investment in shared micromobility and cycling infrastructure in the region.

    The record follows strong ridership in 2024 and highlights Chicago’s expanding access to active transportation as part of its broader sustainability and mobility goals.

    Both of the city’s shared bike and scooter operators reported record usage, with Divvy recording 6.8 million e-bike and e-scooter trips, and 6.1 million rides being made with Lime e-scooters. The combination of both figures reveal an overall 12.9 million shared mobility trips in Chicago.

    Mayor Brandon Johnson linked the milestone to the city’s environmental and connectivity priorities. “Chicago’s record-breaking ridership on shared bikes and scooters demonstrates our collective commitment to building a greener, healthier, and more connected city,” he said.

    He added: “By expanding Divvy stations, creating protected bike lanes, and investing in infrastructure that serves all modes of transportation, we’re expanding access to active transportation while building a Chicago that prioritises sustainability, equity, and opportunity for all.”

    Discounted memberships, capped e-bike pricing and equity programmes such as Divvy for Everyone and Lime Access also helped support continued ridership growth as Chicago works toward a safer, more connected bike network serving all 77 community areas.

    Infrastructure growth and city investment

    The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDoT) has continued to expand the city’s micromobility network. Acting commissioner Craig Turner emphasised the department’s responsibility for safe streets.

    “CDoT is the guardian of the public way, and our teams work every day to ensure our streets work safely for everyone,” Turner said. “By expanding our bike network and implementing safety upgrades citywide, we are giving residents the infrastructure they need to choose the transportation option that works best for them.”

    In 2025, CDoT added 140 new Divvy stations with more than 2,000 new docks. The department also expanded in-station charging for the operator’s e-bikes and e-scooters, improving availability while reducing manual battery swapping and lowering operational vehicle trips.

    Chicago invested more than $3 million (approximately €2.5 million million) into Divvy, including subsidies to make the service more affordable for residents.

    Operator highlights momentum across the city

    Lyft, which operates Divvy, said the milestone reflects growing year-round adoption. “Lyft is proud to operate Divvy as Chicago reaches this incredible milestone. We saw riders continue to embrace Divvy across all seasons, from winter commutes to summer lakefront trips, and across all neighbourhoods in unprecedented numbers. That momentum tells us we’re on the right track. Lyft is invested in Chicago, ready to keep building a reliable system that works for users across the whole city.”

    Safety and equity measures support ridership growth

    In response to scooter safety and accessibility concerns, Chicago introduced sidewalk riding detection technology and upgraded parking compliance requirements. The city also installed more than 1,000 new bike racks and dozens of bike corrals.

    “This record-breaking year for bike and scooter ridership shows how essential micromobility has become for Chicago’s residents and visitors,” said BACP commissioner Ivan Capifali. “As the City’s business licensing department, BACP continues to partner closely with the companies to ensure operations are safe, compliant and consumer focused. We’re proud to explore and support transportation options that keep our city moving.”

  2. US cities embracing new mobility era, according to Lime

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    Source: Lime

    From studying 5 million Lime trips in Baltimore, Nashville and Phoenix, the LEVA-EU member has published recommendations on building better and safer streets. It published the 2nd edition of its annual mobility report in collaboration with the League of American Bicyclists, with findings encouraging the implementation of bike lanes and safer infrastructure.

    After using shared micromobility data to research how people travel, Lime states that US cities are in a new era of sustainable transportation which requires safer and more connected streets. The shared mobility company says its study supports global findings, implying that more people choose micromobility when there are dedicated cycling lanes with thoughtfully designed safe infrastructure.

    Results from the mobility report presents the following takeaways:

    Riders prefer dedicated cycling lanes

    • In Baltimore, newly installed cycling lanes have been associated with increasing 20% of Lime trips, when compared to streets without them.
    • In Nashville, streets equipped with cycling lanes saw trips grow faster by 39% than similar streets without bike cycling infrastructure.
    • In Phoenix, protected lanes experienced a 35% increase in ridership in comparison to without the dedicated infrastructure.

    Infrastructure encourages safety

    • For all cities studied, streets with dedicated cycling infrastructure had lower incident rates consistently, than those without them.

    Transit and connectivity are expanded by micromobility

    • Lime effectively doubled the transit walkshed from 0.8 km by walking alone to 1.77–2.09 km, increasing access to high-quality transit and providing connections for riders’ daily commutes.

    Bill Nesper, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists shared the following about the report:

    “Like last year’s findings, the insights in this report help to demonstrate exactly why communities must continue to make these investments: we can see very clearly that building better infrastructure, and establishing policies to support that infrastructure, has real-world results in helping more people to safely make trips on two wheels.”

    Study implications for US cities

    For reducing congestion, improving safety and expanding equitable transportation options, it advises the following:

    • Investing in dedicated cycling lanes to encourage more ridership, encouraging quick rider responses.
    • Prioritising safety: Creating dedicated cycling infrastructure for bikes and micromobility helps to reduce incident rate by encouraging rider confidence.
    • Boosting transit access: Micromobility completes significant “first mile/last mile” gaps, supporting people to move more freely.
    • Using data for guiding investment: Facilitating micromobility expertise and analytics to pinpoint new lanes and parking solutions which can deliver the most effective impact.

    Lime’s and the League of American Bicyclists’ latest study shows how micromobility and cycling infrastructure can reduce traffic volumes and decrease the time and economic value that’s regularly lost to congestion.

    Brandon Haydu, Lime’s Senior Program Manager, Transportation Policy & Analytics stated the following about the findings:

    “Lime’s data provides cities with a powerful tool to strengthen transportation planning and Vision Zero efforts beyond what is possible using traditional bicycle trip counts. Our partnership with the League of American Bicyclists shows that when cities build dedicated bike lanes, ridership grows, safety improves, and riders from across the city benefit. We’re happy to collaborate with the cities we serve, sharing detailed, standardized data and planning support to help build safer, more connected streets for everyone.”

    Lime will be sharing its report with transportation leaders, urban planners, policymakers and local advocates to inspire safer, greener and more accessible cities.

  3. Micromobility is replacing car use in the USA, study shows

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    Source: Zag Daily

    A report which draws on nationwide surveys, information from focus groups, and wider industry research, presents strong evidence that shared micromobility modes are replacing car trips in the United States, and urges for the removal of barriers to access.

    The Mode Shift report, published by shared micromobility operator Veo, examines the factors behind uptake of shared micromobility options including e-scooters, e-bikes, and seated scooters. Alexander Keating, Veo’s Vice President of Policy and Partnerships, said, “Mode shift means people choosing not to take a car trip, even just once a week, because micromobility is conveniently available. Most journeys in the US are under three miles and are therefore exactly the trips that bikes and scooters are well suited to replace.”

    The report also looks beyond commuting at the shorter everyday journeys which are well-suited for car replacement, such as errands and social journeys. Alex continues, saying, “We’re not talking about scrapping cars entirely. Some trips will always require them, but many don’t. Micromobility allows people to leave the car at home more often.” For many micromobility users, however, the transport mode provides a way to avoid the costs of car ownership while still enjoying easy access to work and everyday activities.

    Key findings in the report

    • 40% of Veo riders do not own a car.
    • 28% do not hold a driver’s licence.
    • Many users live in outer boroughs and lower-income areas of major cities, and use shared mobility to as first- or last-mile connections to public transport.
    • 60% of riders are from households with an income under $50,000 per year.

    Barriers to access

    The report identifies four key barriers to wider access:

    • Disconnected infrastructure: “A bike lane here and there isn’t enough. People need safe, continuous routes from start to finish.”
    • Service restrictions such as geofencing and fragmented service areas which don’t match up with natural travel patterns.
    • Affordability and lack of potential users’ knowledge about existing discount schemes.
    • A lack of vehicle diversity – most current fleets are designed for solo travellers, eliminating families or those carrying loads such as shopping. The report argues for broader inclusion of cargo bikes, trikes and adaptive options into fleets to better compete with cars for more trips.

  4. North America’s shared micromobility ridership achieved record high in 2024

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    Source: Zag Daily

    The latest report from the North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association (NABSA) shows that over 225 million shared micromobility trips took place across the USA, Canada and Mexico last year – a 31% increase compared to 2023.

    The 6th Annual Shared Micromobility State of the Industry Report takes survey data from shared micromobility operators and public agencies, plus academic research, census data and more.

    Key statistics

    • 225 million+ trips taken in 2024
    • 415 cities have one or more shared micromobility scheme in place
    • 74% of riders use shared micromobility to connect to transit, with 22% reporting they do it weekly
    • 35% of shared micromobility trips reduce congestion by replacing car trips
    • 66% of trips in 2024 were on electric-powered vehicles
    • 84.9 million trips in 2024 were taken on e-scooters, 64.4 million on e-bikes
    • Approximately 46 million kg of CO2 emissions offset in 2024 by replacing car trips

    “It’s amazing, but not surprising, to see how shared micromobility continues to grow and grow” said NABSA Executive Director Sam Herr. “It is so clearly providing meaningful service to get people where they need to go.” The report shows that this is not just for big cities but also smaller and mid-sized cities, rural and suburban communities, that are all implementing shared micromobility to provide mobility options, improve public transportation, and create community vibrancy

  5. Washington D.C. introduces legislation on e-bike battery safety standards

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    Source: Charles Allen

    A new bill has been introduced in Washington, D.C., to implement mandatory fire safety standards for e-bike and scooter batteries.

    The proposed Micromobility Fire Safety Standards Act of 2025 is intended to address fire hazards associated with low-quality batteries. From November 2018 to March 2025, riders in the District collectively travelled more than 38 million miles using e-bikes and scooters. The legislation seeks to regulate battery sales both in physical stores and online to enhance consumer safety.

    LEVA-EU’s view

    LEVA-EU thinks that it is important to align all battery rules such as with the EU’s Battery Regulation in order to minimize compliance burden for LEV manufacturers.

  6. eCycleElectric announces E-Bike Market Trends & Fearless Forecast webinar for the U.S.

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    Source: LEVA

    This free webinar on 6 March will cover e-bike market trends for the region.

    Join Ed Benjamin and Jonathan Weinert from eCycleElectric for a data-driven discussion on the latest trends in the e-bike market. This webinar will cover insights from the recently published Electric Bike World Report – North America, including an analysis of 2024 import data and factors influencing the industry in 2025 and beyond.

    If you are interested in participating, click here to fill in the participation form.

  7. The bicycle industry could face imposition of US reciprocal tariffs

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    Source: Bicycle Retailer

    President Donald Trump announced plans to introduce reciprocal tariffs that could take effect as early as April 2, 2025, potentially impacting the US bicycle industry and its largest supplier nations.

    The executive memo, released on Thursday February 13, directs officials to adjust US import duties on a product-by-product basis, matching each nation’s tariffs on equivalent US products. This move could lead to significant increases in tariffs on bicycle products, as some major supplier nations impose relatively high tariffs on US bikes, e-bikes, and related products, even though these countries rarely import such goods from the United States.

    Major supplier nations that may be affected

    Vietnam, which has become a popular alternative manufacturing hub to China, currently imposes a 45% tariff on US bikes and a 55% tariff on US e-bikes. Should reciprocal tariffs be enforced, Vietnam-made bicycles could face US duties nearly identical to those currently levied on Chinese imports.

    India, considered a growing source for the US mass-market bicycle industry, has a 20% tariff on US bicycles. Reports suggest that India recently reduced this rate to 15% ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States. A matching increase in tariffs on Indian bicycles would raise US rates from 11% or 5.5% to 15%, a modest adjustment.

    Malaysia, where Shimano manufactures a variety of bicycle components, maintains a 5% tariff on most US parts and a 6% tariff on US bikes. Currently, the US imposes an 8% tariff on pedals and other components from Malaysia and most other countries.

    EU tariffs to be evaluated

    The European Union imposes a 4.7% tariff on US bike saddles, lower than the 8% that the US currently charges on EU saddles. However, the EU’s 15% tariff on American bicycles could lead the US to raise its own tariffs on European road and mountain bikes. Trump’s directive also requires officials to consider value-added taxes (VAT) imposed by EU nations when calculating reciprocal rates.

    Tariff uncertainties

    Questions remain regarding the implementation of these tariffs, particularly whether the US might lower some rates to match those of trading partners. It is also unclear how foreign governments might respond, with some likely adjusting their tariffs to avoid escalating trade tensions, while others may retaliate.

    Another uncertainty involves the logistics of updating and managing over 17,000 US import codes to reflect the tariff structures of the 186 countries on the Most Favored Nation list. While Republicans in the US House of Representatives have introduced legislation to grant presidents the authority to impose reciprocal tariffs, that legislation has not advanced. As a result, the legal framework Trump might use to enforce these tariffs without congressional approval remains uncertain.

    Industry stakeholders will be watching US trade policy closely in the coming weeks to see if negotiations can avert a trade war that could potentially reshape global supply chains and impact consumer prices.

  8. Washington, USA is transforming emission taxes into cheaper electric bicycles

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    Source: Electrek

    Electric bicycle incentive programs have expanded significantly recently in the US, with Washington State being one of the latest to introduce a program aimed at making e-bikes more affordable for lower-income commuters. This initiative is distinct in that it is funded through the state’s emissions taxes under the Climate Commitment Act, which was approved with strong voter support.

    The program allocates a $5 million budget for electric bicycle rebates, with amounts ranging from $300 for individuals earning more than 80% of the area median income to $1,200 for lower-income residents. Applications will be processed through an online portal, currently in development, and rebates will be applied at the point of sale, eliminating the need for upfront payment followed by reimbursement.

    Unlike some other state-level e-bike incentives, such as California’s program, Washington’s initiative will not operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, recipients will be selected through a lottery system. Additional program details are still being finalised ahead of implementation.

    E-bike incentive programs have gained traction nationwide as policymakers acknowledge the role of electric bicycles in improving transportation access. These programs often prioritise lower-income individuals who may face financial barriers to purchasing an e-bike, despite the potential for long-term cost savings.

    For many, car ownership presents a significant financial challenge due to expenses such as fuel, insurance, and maintenance. E-bikes offer a more affordable transportation option, enabling individuals to commute, complete errands, and reach essential services without the financial burden associated with owning a vehicle.

    Beyond affordability, these initiatives also address transportation equity and environmental concerns. Many lower-income communities have limited public transit options, creating challenges for residents without personal vehicles. E-bikes can help bridge this gap by offering a reliable transportation alternative that complements existing bus and rail networks. Additionally, shifting trips from cars to e-bikes can reduce traffic congestion and lower carbon emissions, contributing to improved air quality and more sustainable urban environments.

  9. No more fines for crossing without zebra crossing or traffic lights in New York

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    Source: VRT News

    Under a new law, pedestrians in New York City are now allowed to ignore crosswalks and traffic lights when crossing the road, without fear of receiving a fine. The new law could change racial disparities in the United States.

    New York City Councilwoman, Mercedes Narcisse, highlighted that over 90% of $250 jaywalking tickets are issued to Black and Latino individuals. “But let’s be honest, every New Yorker does this,” she told the Associated Press, arguing that “Laws that punish behaviour that we put in place every day for moving around shouldn’t exist, especially when they unfairly impact communities of colour.“

    In September, new legislation was passed, giving Mayor Eric Adams 30 days to sign or veto it. However, the mayor opted for a third route and took no action. In New York, this inaction effectively means consent, allowing the law to come into effect.

    Pedestrians can cross anywhere without priority

    Under the new law, pedestrians can now cross streets at any point without needing to use zebra crossings or wait for traffic signals. However, they do not have the right-of-way when crossing outside crosswalks and must yield to vehicles. Pedestrians remain liable for any accidents caused by crossing unsafely.

    A spokesperson for the mayor emphasised that “pedestrians should still choose the safest option” and seek out crosswalks or green lights whenever possible.