Mayor de Blasio and Citi Bike Announce Record-Breaking 10 Million Trips in 2015

December 31, 2015

Milestone represents an all-time high for annual ridership of any bike share system in United States, shattering 2014 record

Ridership record rivals that of London’s bike share system

NEW YORK—Citi Bike riders have taken 10 million trips in 2015, shattering 2014’s previous record of 8,092,952 trips, Mayor de Blasio, Motivate President & CEO Jay Walder, and Citi Head of Public Affairs Edward Skyler announced today.

Ridership increased 24 percent in 2015 – including seven days in which ridership exceeded 50,000 trips, twice during the Papal visit in September.

The 10 millionth trip was taken at 1:08 p.m. today. To celebrate this milestone, Citi Bike is awarding 2015’s 10 millionth rider with a free year of membership, plus three gift memberships to share with family and friends.

Citi Bike has far and away the highest ridership volume of any bike share system in the nation, and is on par with the largest bike share systems in the Western hemisphere. There have been nearly 9 million trips taken on Mexico City’s similarly sized EcoBici bike share in 2015, and London’s larger Santander Cycle Hire was on pace for 9,943,074 trips in 2015.

“We worked hard to put Citi Bike back on solid footing and expand the system to new neighborhoods. The new leadership at Motivate has done incredible work making this a public transit option New Yorkers can rely upon, and today’s 10 millionth ride is a testament to their success. The future of public bike sharing in New York City is looking brighter than ever,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

"The de Blasio Administration is thrilled that NYC saw over 10 million rides on Citi Bike in 2015,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We are proud of the City's work with Motivate this year to improve Citi Bike operations and expand to new neighborhoods throughout the City." 
“The improvements we’ve made to the system have drawn more and more New Yorkers to Citi Bike as a fun and healthy way to get around the city,” said Motivate President & CEO Jay Walder. “Citi Bike is committed to growing this program, to bring people to more and more places, and to continue to make the rider experience even better every day.”

“We knew Citi Bike would be sustainable, convenient and innovative, but no one could have predicted just how quickly it would become part of the fabric of New York City,” said Citi Head of Public Affairs Edward Skyler. “Ten million rides in 2015 is a fantastic milestone, and with the program continuing to expand into new neighborhoods, we are excited for even bigger things in 2016.”

"Citi Bike has come storming back thanks to the revitalizing efforts of Motivate and the great folks at NYC DOT," said Council Member Ydanis Rodríguez, Chair of the Transportation Committee. "These record breaking numbers show how New Yorkers have embraced cycling as a key way of moving about the city. With new bikes and technology, an expanded network and a strong focus on customer service, Citi Bike continues to push the envelope to make cycling a more viable and enjoyable option for all. I am eager to work with Motivate, NYC DOT, Citigroup and my colleagues to continue expanding the network to every community throughout the five boroughs. All New Yorkers deserve to experience the joys and practicality of bike riding and we owe it to them to double our efforts to make cycling in New York City as safe as possible."

This uptick in ridership follows major investments made by Motivate throughout the year to enhance the rider experience with the already-popular bike share program. Investments included replacing the technology that powers Citi Bike, overhauling the entire bike fleet, adding an additional 2,400 bikes to the fleet designed by Olympic bike designer Ben Serotta, and installing more than 138 new stations in Brooklyn, Queens and the Upper East and Upper West sides.

Citi Bike will continue to expand in 2016, bringing bikes further north in Manhattan towards Harlem, and to new neighborhoods in Brooklyn including Red Hook, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and Gowanus. At the same time, DOT will continue the outreach and planning process for bike share expansion into Astoria and additional neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Citi Bike will reach its milestone of 12,000 bikes and more than 700 stations by the end of 2017, providing more New Yorkers with a way to get to and from work, adopt healthier lifestyles and experience all the city has to offer.

2015 Bike Share Trips by City

Here’s a quick look at how some of the western world’s biggest bike share systems stacked up in 2015.

* on pace for, based on latest data available

About Citi Bike
The Citi Bike program is New York’s bike share system with 7,500 bikes at 470 stations in Manhattan below 86th Street and in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Williamsburg, Greenpoint Clinton Hill, Fort Greene and DUMBO, and in Long Island City, Queens, with stations located every few blocks, and the program is expanding beginning this year. Annual members receive an electronic key to undock a bike from any station, allowing unlimited trips up to 45 minutes without incurring any additional costs. Twenty-four-hour and seven-day access passes are available for purchase at any Citi Bike station and provide unlimited 30-minute trips. There have been over 24 million trips on Citi Bike since the program launched.