Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the Boston Bikes Pass, a discounted annual Bluebikes membership for Boston residents that saves residents more than half the cost of the normal rate. As part of the Boston Bikes Pass, the City is also launching an even further discounted annual pass for income-eligible Boston residents. The City is launching the Boston Bikes Pass as part of a short-term pilot program (running now through June 2024) to explore options for making travel by bike more affordable and to bolster the growing demand for Bluebikes, the bike share program for Greater Boston.
Boston residents who have not had an annual Bluebikes membership in the last three years are eligible for the $60/year membership (the regular rate is $129/year). Boston residents who qualify for MassHealth, SNAP, or meet income guidelines can get an even further reduced rate at $5/year (regular income-eligible rate is $50/year). Any Boston resident 16-years or older who meets income guidelines is eligible for the $5 annual pass, whether or not they have had a Bluebikes annual membership in the past.
Boston continues to work towards a 100-station expansion of the bike share system. These new stations will fill gaps in high-demand areas, making our system more reliable for riders. Today, more than 90% of Bostonians live within a 10-minute walk of a bike share station. The City has a goal of establishing stations within a 3- to 5-minute walk in our denser residential neighborhoods and ensuring that all major transit stations and stops are served by bike share stations.
Residents can apply for a Boston Bikes Pass by visiting boston.gov/bikepass and filling out the appropriate form. Those applying for the Income-Eligible Boston Bikes Pass will need to upload documents to verify enrollment in a public benefit program like SNAP, MassHealth, or to demonstrate a qualifying income. Once verified, residents will be sent instructions to sign up.