Mayor Curtatone, Commissioner Fiandaca, City Manager DePasquale, Chairman Wishinsky, and Hubway Announce Banner Year with over 1.27 Million Trips Taken. The Boston Area’s Popular Bike Share System’s New Annual Ridership Record Shatters Last Year’s Record By More Than Ten Percent. The Hubway program regularly serves upwards of 150,000 trips per month.
Boston, MA — Hubway riders took over 1.27 million trips in 2016, shattering the previous record set in 2015 by more than 130,000 trips, City of Somerville Mayor Curtatone, Boston Transportation Department Commissioner Gina Fiandaca, Cambridge City Manager Louis DePasquale, Brookline Board of Selectman Chairman Neil Wishinsky, and Motivate President & CEO Jay Walder announced today.
“Somerville has a goal of being among the most bikeable communities in the nation," said Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, "and we are proud that our partnership with the regional Hubway program gives our constituents easy and cost effective options for alternative transportation to, from, and within our City. Congratulations to Hubway, to our partner communities, and to our constituents on reaching this impressive milestone.”
The system set a new one-day ridership record on August 9th with 7,200 trips. Hubway also celebrated its fifth birthday and, on October 21st, carried its five millionth ride.
“It was a great year for our public bike share system," said Gina N. Fiandaca, Commissioner of the Boston Transportation Department. "I am proud to have expanded Hubway into new neighborhoods this year and glad to see so many residents choosing to ride a bike for their everyday trips."
In 2016, Hubway added 30 stations in Roxbury, Dorchester, East Boston, and Cambridge, bringing the grand total to 185 stations with more than 1,700 bikes. The program is expected to continue expansion in 2017.
“Hubway is a very popular option for those who live, work, and study in Cambridge as well as those who visit the city,” said Louis DePasquale, Cambridge City Manager. “We are pleased to have the support of partner institutions and businesses and look forward to expand the system further in the future.”
“Hubway continues to solidify its standing as a regional transportation option,” added Brookline Board of Selectmen Chairman Neil Wishinsky. “We look forward to collaborating with our bike share partners to grow the system even more in the coming years.”
Stations in Cambridge operate year-round, and in 2016 the stations in Boston, Brookline, and Somerville opened earlier than ever this year, on February 29th. Hubway is offering even more expansive winter operation this season, with 149 stations open through at least January 2nd and all 43 Cambridge stations again open year-round.
“Hubway has proven to be a critical part of our transportation network,” said Eric Bourassa, Director of Transportation Planning for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, a regional agency that helps coordinate the Hubway system. “It’s continued growth in ridership shows that there is a strong demand for cycling infrastructure in Greater Boston.”
“Hubway’s latest record shows that bike share is fulfilling its promise as a vital part of the Boston area’s transportation network -- increasing access to the city’ transit network and communities underserved by public transit,” said Jay H. Walder, CEO & President of Motivate, operators of Hubway. “We are eager to continue to help grow a system that has truly served as an inspiration for a whole generation of bike share programs across the nation.”
Hubway currently has over 14,300 annual and monthly members, and includes more than 275 organizations in its corporate program, which saw a 15% growth in 2016. In addition to its memberships, Hubway again sold 100,000 “casual” (24-hr & 72-hr) passes, and those riders took a total of over 239,000 rides.
More options and convenience remain among the most popular reasons for members to use Hubway. "With Hubway, my commute from Dudley Square to South Station is flexible and stress-free,” said Hubway member, Kelsey Bruun, a public relations professional in Boston. “I have my own personal bike, but the ability to take a one-way trip on a rainy day or make a few stops on the way from work are key options for me."
"Hubway is great for people like me who don't have their own bike but still enjoy riding,” member Heidi Richardson added. “As an East Boston resident, I used to only ride around the City on weekend mornings or during my lunch hour, but now that Hubway has expanded to Eastie, I've been able to enjoy it closer to home."
Gustavo Quiroga of Boston, a Hubway member since 2014, said, "I love cruising past standstill traffic on my Hubway in the bike lane on a beautiful evening. Smells like victory."
About Hubway
The Hubway program is regional public transportation by bike, owned by the municipalities of Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville, and is operated by Motivate, a national leader in bike share. With more than 180 stations and 1600 bikes, the system has more than 14,000 members across the region. To date, users have taken over 5 million trips by bike share. More information about the system, including station locations, can be found at thehubway.com.
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