Wednesday morning, the Chicago Department of Transportation shared some good news about how popular shared sustainable transportation devices have become in our city. "Over 10 million trips were taken on shared bikes and e-scooters in 2024, a new annual record," the agency said in a press release. "This milestone reflects a growing demand for sustainable and convenient transportation options, supported by CDOT’s investments in micromobility infrastructure and the continued expansion of the Divvy bike-share system."
"Chicago’s record-breaking ridership on bikes and scooters highlights our collective commitment to building a greener, healthier, and more connected city," said Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement. "We are committed to ensuring that every neighborhood has access to safe and affordable transportation options, from expanding Divvy stations to creating more protected bike lanes. Together, we are paving the way for a Chicago that prioritizes sustainability, equity, and opportunity for all."
But what if we told you that the news is actually better than that? Late yesterday evening, an in-the-know City official told Streetsblog that CDOT actually shortchanged itself a bit in its earlier news release. They said Chicago actually ended up hitting more than 11 million total micromoblity rides in 2024. Here are the stats they provided.
01/01/2024 – 12/31/2024:
Total shared micromobility in 2024 (Divvy bikes and scooters, and Lime and Spin shared e-scooters, which have City-issued business licenses)
= 11,028,554 (Total Divvy trips = 6,681,480 which also set a new annual Divvy record)
Here’s how that compared to 2023:
01/01/2023 – 12/31/2023:
Total shared micromobility in 2023 (Divvy bikes and scooters, and Lime, Spin, and Superpedestrian scooters [the latter stopped operating in Chicago in September 2023])
= 8,745,481 (Total Divvy Trips = 6,603,071)
The numbers suggest more people are finding out bikes and e-scooters are a less expensive, more efficient (fewer difficulties with traffic jams or finding a legal parking spot), environmentally friendly, and fun way to get around than cars. And Divvy even has some perks over personal bikes, especially during the winter, because you don't have to worry about storing, securing, or maintaining your ride, and lights, chain-guards, and fenders are built-in.
CDOT shared some other good news about Divvy. The department is in the process of installing 400 bike-share stations across the Far South, Southwest, and Northwest sides. The goal is to have four stations per square mile citywide.
According to the agency, in 2024 it focused on installing new Divvy stations near important transit connections. These included the CTA Orange Line’s Midway station, the Green Line's Damen stop, and the new Peterson/Ridge Metra station.
CDOT also plans to electrify 110 Divvy stations, with 17 stations installed already and dozens more slated for placement this year. The electric stations can charge e-bikes and e-scooters, which will means Divvy staffers won't need to drive around town as much to replace batteries in the vehicles. The agency says that the current electrification plans will reduce battery swapping by almost 80 percent, eliminating 100,000 vehicle miles traveled, and 48 tons of CO2 emissions per year. CDOT also says e-bike availability will increase by 15 percent as a result.
In other encouraging bike-share news, the department says the number of people taking part in the Divvy for Everyone $5 membership program has increased fourfold since 2020. Currently a single person making up to $35,310 a year is eligible for the discounted membership, which also includes lower per-minute charges for e-bikes and e-scooters.
One reason more people have been riding bikes and scooters in Chicago lately is that CDOT has been installing more bikeways (also legal for e-scooter use) in the past two years than in previous ones. In 2023, the department added more than 50 miles of bike routes, including 27 miles of new and upgraded protected bike lanes, plus 18 miles of Neighborhood Greenways side street routes. 90 percent of these facilities were in those two "low-stress bikeway" categories.
My recent exploration of the new bikeways for Streetsblog Chicago's Bike Lane Fest 2024 series indicated that at least as many miles were installed this year. I'll talk about my findings at an Active Transportation Alliance Advocacy Connect Zoom chat tomorrow, Friday 1/10, from noon to 1 PM. RSVP here.
Did you appreciate this post? Streetsblog Chicago is currently fundraising to help cover our 2025-26 budget. If you appreciate our reporting and advocacy on local sustainable transportation issues, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here. Thank you!
