The ceremonial unlocking of the first LimeBike July 27 in Seattle. 999,999 more would follow in just 11 months.
People in Seattle have taken one million Lime bike share trips in about 11 months, the company announced Monday.
This astounding number of rides comes from just one of three companies currently operating in the city. And because the company launched initially with only 500 bikes, gradually scaling up to 4,000 around the New Year, they will likely hit the next million even quicker.
These bike share services have significantly changed transportation in Seattle in a very short period of time. There are few urban transportation advancements in modern history that have had such a big impact so quickly. Lime essentially went from an idea to 1 million Seattle rides in a year and a half. That’s more trips than the total number of bikes crossing the Fremont Bridge, the city’s busiest bike route pinch point. And they’re just getting started.
SDOT is in the process of revamping its bike share permit scheme to update the pilot permit that went into effect July 2017. That pilot permit became a model for cities across the nation, helping to lead a new bike share movement. Seattle should be proud of this success. We should be celebrating.
We’re just seeing the beginning of e-assist bike share with Jump already itching to start operating. ofo says they are also planning to add e-asisst bikes to their fleet in late summer. In other cities, shared electric kick scooters are all the rage, though they are not yet allowed in Seattle and it isn’t clear if city leaders are interested in them. Major investments continue to pour into these companies, and it’s hard to know where it goes from here. But Seattle is well positioned to continue leading.
And just like that, less than 12 months since they first rolled into town, Seattleites have taken more than one million carbon-free rides on Lime smart pedal and e-assist bikes.
The Emerald City was the first major US market to embrace dock-free bike sharing technology in the summer of 2017. Now, it’s become the first city in North America to reach the industry’s two-comma milestone, thanks in large part to its record-breaking fleet of Lime-E electric assist bikes.
“This is a great accomplishment for the city of Seattle,” said Operations Manager Sam Morando. “Not only does it demonstrate the need for smart mobility vehicles here, but it validates the city’s robust efforts to integrate dock-free services like Lime into Seattle’s overall transportation network.”
But the rides alone aren’t the only reason to celebrate.
By pedaling the equivalent of 30 laps around the earth, residents and visitors to Seattle have also helped offset more than 650,000 lbs of CO2. That means cleaner air and less congestion in a city that spends, on average, around 55 hrs/year stuck in traffic.
The team at Lime couldn’t be more excited about all that we’ve achieved together here in Seattle, and we’re looking forward to many millions of more rides to come!