BBSP 2024 Wrapped

Take a look back at this year’s top stories, all geared toward creating more equitable shared micromobility systems.

In 2024, the Better Bike Share Partnership had a number of noteworthy highlights starting in April with the hiring of our new writer, Odochi Akwani. Odochi jumped into the shard micromobility world with curiosity and a desire to learn and report on the impact shared micromobility has on communities across North America. 

In May, we announced our new cohort of Living Lab grantees whose work will have a positive, lasting impact on the relationship between shared micromobility and BIPOC and low-income communities. We can’t wait to share their successes and lessons learned over the next year and a half.

Also in May, we attended NACTO’s Designing Cities Conference in Miami where we hosted the Transportation Justice Fellows for a meal, connected with fellow BIPOC transportation professionals at the BIPOC Breakfast Meet and Greet (coordinated by the Transportation Justice Fellows), and had the pleasure of using Miami’s bike share system to explore the city, including a ride to the Perez Art Museum. 

Throughout the summer months, our mini grantees were hard at work implementing programming to increase access to and use of shared micromobility within their respective communities. Awards were given to nine organizations from across the United States from Hawaii to New York focused on projects that support an ambassador program, create bike education classes, and connect shared micromobility to food access, among other initiatives.

In September, the first cohort of the Indego Community Advisory Council completed their work for the year. The council represents a unique strategy for directly involving community members in the operations of a bike share system — one that could serve as a model for others. Composed of long-standing community partners, the council advises Indego on current and upcoming programs and initiatives, ensuring the organization meets its goals for equity and access.

In October, we attended NABSA’s annual conference: Ride, Thrive, Belong in Philadelphia. It was a particularly special conference this year because the City of Philadelphia and Indego bike share were hosts and Philadelphia is the birthplace of the Better Bike Share Partnership. BBSP was proud to take part in the launch of NABSA’s Diverse Voices in Shared Micromobility video series during the conference.

Our NACTO partners had the opportunity to attend the conference where they reconnected with recent alumni from the Transportation Justice Fellowship (a BBSP program led by NACTO). 

“It was so amazing to hear what the Fellows had been up to since the Fellowship and how it continues to impact their work,” says Fielding Hong from BBSP and NACTO. “The cherry on top was being able to be in attendance while Sherelle Steeter, former fellow, spoke on a plenary panel about the future of SMM — a testament to the efficacy of the Fellowship to support emerging leaders in the transportation world!”

In November, we announced a new cohort of fellows who come to us from a variety of backgrounds including government, nonprofit, operators, and more.

With more than 30 stories published this year, storytelling is a critical component of the work we do at BBSP. We aim to use storytelling as a tool for folks to learn from others and replicate what is working in making shared micromobility equitable and sustainable.

Our ‘2024 BBSP Wrapped’ below highlights popular and must-read stories from this year:

Indianapolis Offers Free Bike Share to All Residents
In May, Indianapolis’ bike share program, Pacers Bikeshare, became free for all residents in Marion County. This marks the first free shared micromobility program in the nation.

Bike Share is Back in New Haven, Connecticut
After a four-year hiatus, bike share returns to New Haven with the launch of 100 electric bicycles.

How Technology is Connecting Shared Micromobility and Food Access
Portland-based app suma offers free SMM rides and food vouchers to frontline communities. They are connecting these two vital services while helping users build SMM routines by encouraging taking a free ride to a local farmer’s market where they can redeem food vouchers. 

Vancouver Bike Share Engages Youth Through Equity Program
Launched in fall 2022, Vancouver Bike Share’s equity program offers a discounted Youth Community Pass to residents aged 12-18. Many young people rely on their parents, guardians, or other adults in order to access everyday destinations like school, activities, friends, or leisure.

E-Cargo Bike Share is Now Available in Boston
A new program is helping people visualize a less car-dependent lifestyle. Cargo bikes can make it easier to carry out household, family tasks — attending to many women’s complex travel needs without a dependency on a motor vehicle.

‘Bugs, Bikes, and Botany’ Program Encourages Outdoor Exploration Through Bike Share
The San Antonio River Foundation partnered with the local library system, bike advocacy groups, and BCycle to get residents outside. 

Atlanta Works to Expand Equitable Access to Micromobility
The city established data-driven strategies for when they soon transition to a contract model. Atlanta’s focus is on making sure its system is equitable in light of its future contract.

Key Takeaways From the 2024 NABSA Conference
The shared micromobility industry met in Philadelphia to learn from and share ideas with a network of colleagues from around the world and discuss important issues facing bike and scooter share.

Black-Owned Family Business Brings Bike Share to Youngstown, OH
YoGo Bikeshare took to the streets this year with hopes of spreading micromobility to smaller communities.

Happy New Year from the Better Bike Share Partnership! We will see you here next year for more stories as the shared micromobility landscape grows, hopefully, with a focus toward equity.

The Better Bike Share Partnership is funded by The JPB Foundation as a collaboration between the City of Philadelphia, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), and the PeopleForBikes Foundation to build equitable and replicable bike share systems. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or sign up for our weekly newsletter. Have a question or a story idea? Email odochi@peopleforbikes.org