Project Mover seeks municipal support after 2025 pilot shows modest use in Dobbs Ferry

On March 10, 2026 the Village of Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees heard a detailed update on Project Mover, the regional electric micro‑mobility pilot run by Shared Mobility Inc. and partners. Alex Malini, identified himself as a project manager for Shared Mobility Inc., presented 2025 performance figures and a funding plan for a proposed two‑year operating extension.

Malini said the system—deployed across six municipalities—recorded 9,419 trips in 2025, roughly 2,300 unique users, and about 14,500 miles traveled systemwide. He told the board that Dobbs Ferry logged 759 trips after six hubs were deployed in mid‑July and that top local hubs included the waterfront and Gul Park. "Systemwide across the six municipalities, there was a total of 9,419 trips," Malini said.

Presenters explained the program began with a state clean‑transportation prize and capital funding, and that Shared Mobility now operates the service while Drop Mobility serves as the on‑the‑ground vendor. The project team said they have requested a no‑cost extension from the funder through 2027 and are negotiating a two‑year extension with the operator. "We put two‑year costs at about $800,000 or $400,000 a year," a presenter said, and the group said their goal is to secure roughly half of that amount from participating municipalities.

As part of that municipal cost‑sharing model, the team said Dobbs Ferry could be asked to budget about $20,000 per year in 2027 and 2028. Board members pressed for clarity on who would carry administrative responsibilities and how user fees, NAERTA funding, operator contributions and potential sponsorships would be combined. Presenters reiterated that user fees do not cover full operating costs and that sponsorship negotiations are likely to be pursued after a fuller year of ridership data.

The Project Mover team described operational roles: Shared Mobility as the operator, Drop Mobility as the vendor responsible for daily bike rebalancing and maintenance, and Mobility Development Partners advising on governance and financing. Malini and colleagues said Drop Mobility uses GPS and IoT telemetry to monitor batteries and bike locations, but that village staff sometimes identify local issues faster and may need to coordinate with the operator on redistribution.

Board members did not take a vote on a municipal contribution at the meeting; multiple trustees said they wanted to discuss the proposal at a future workshop and to see 2026 ridership data after an internal expansion of hubs. The project team said they are finalizing agreements with Mercy University and continuing conversations with Irvington and Hastings on Hudson about joining the network.

What happens next: the presenters offered to return with site‑visit recommendations and a refined budget allocation for participating municipalities; trustees agreed to place the funding discussion on an upcoming workshop agenda.