Council directs staff to issue new e-bike RFP and return with funding plan to sustain b-cycle program through 2026

The Town of Truckee unanimously directed staff to issue a new request for proposals (RFP) for an e-bike share operator and to develop and return with a funding plan to maintain the current b-cycle system through the 2026 season.

Background: The town's pilot began with an RFP in 2021 and launched operations in 2023 after supply-chain delays. The current operator, b-cycle (now part of Bicycle Transit Systems, "BTS"), has run the seasonal system under a right-of-entry agreement and a lease for Riverview operations rather than as a professional services contract. The original RFP called for roughly 50 bikes and 100 station "seats." Staff and the operator said the system is seasonal, has shown year-over-year ridership growth and community acceptance, but has not reached financial self-sufficiency.

Key operational and financial details presented by staff and by Brian Conger of b-cycle:

- 2025 season to date: roughly 3,400 trips and about 21,000 miles; cumulative since launch about 11,000 trips and 72,000 miles. - Operating expense: approximately $4,000 per bike per year (the operator's accounting); revenue is roughly $900 per bike per year, creating an operating gap that requires subsidy or sponsorship. - Capital/equipment: a new e-bike lists at roughly $2,700'$3,000 with accessories; each dock costs about $1,900; the town-facing per-seat capital cost is roughly $6,000. The operator previously financed equipment; staff estimated the town could buy depreciated equipment for about $300,000 (approximate). - Other costs: software (Angel) licensing would be about $25,000 per year if the town owned equipment; staffing, vehicle, parts and insurance are additional operating costs.

Options staff presented included issuing a new RFP for an operator (with subsidy or without), negotiating with b-cycle to continue in 2026 while running a concurrent RFP, the town purchasing depreciated equipment and operating it in-house, purchasing equipment and soliciting a third-party operator, or discontinuing the program. The staff recommendation was the hybrid approach: issue a new RFP while negotiating with b-cycle and return with a funding plan to continue operations in 2026.

Council discussion focused on possible revenue strategies: town or regional sponsorships, prepaid ride packages for large employers or institutions (for example, hospital or resort employee programs), cross-jurisdictional expansion (into Placer County or regional partners) and whether leaving stations in place longer through winter was feasible. Brian Conger said the largest expense categories were local staffing (about 45% of operating expense) and depreciation (about 36%), and that many markets support bike-share through a portfolio of revenue streams including sponsorship, institutional subscriptions and advertising.

Action: A motion to direct staff to issue a new RFP and to develop a funding plan to continue b-cycle operations through 2026 passed unanimously. No specific dollar subsidy was approved; council asked staff to return with funding options and to pursue potential partners and sponsors.

Ending: Council members framed the e-bike program as part of the town's broader multimodal mobility strategy and expressed unanimous interest in continuing the program while reducing required subsidy through partnerships and targeted pricing or subscription products.