Committee recommends beginning process to make B‑cycle permanent after successful pilot

City staff and B‑cycle general manager Joanne Burgess presented an operations and metrics update and recommended beginning the permitting and contracting process to transition the bike‑share pilot to a permanent program by Jan. 2028.

Joanne Burgess said the system has served roughly 130,600 riders and the network will reach nearly 3,000,000 miles ridden soon. "We've seen a 130,600 riders travel almost 3,000,000 miles on B‑cycle bikes," Burgess told the committee. The network now includes about 324 e‑bikes, 654 docks and 103 stations, and a Clean Mobility Options grant added 60 e‑bikes, 96 docks and 19 stations focused on lower‑income communities. B‑cycle also offers a low‑income annual pass at $25 (about $27.19 including tax).

Burgess and staff reported seven incidents reported to B‑cycle since 2025, mostly solo rider incidents; one reported dooring incident involved a motor vehicle and serious injury. Theft and vandalism have occurred (28 bikes stolen, more than 30 batteries stolen and roughly 120 bikes vandalized since launch), but staff described those levels as low compared with other cities and noted product improvements and future integrated battery and solar‑charging dock designs as part of ongoing upgrades.

Committee members praised the program's growth and the focused outreach funded through the grant. The committee moved to recommend that Council authorize staff to begin permitting and contract negotiations to accomplish a seamless transition to a permanent B‑cycle program at the end of the pilot.