Subsidizing Bike Share for Low-Income Riders

In New York, SNAP recipients to get access to Citi Bikes at discount like DIVY riders already do in Chicago.

2 minute read

July 25, 2018, 2:00 PM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Citi Bike Rack

Joe Mazzola / flickr

As bike share becomes more common around the United States, programs are looking for ways to get low-income riders involved by subsidizing their rides. "On July 17, Citi Bike announced a partnership with Healthfirst, a local health insurance provider, to offer discounted Citi Bike memberships for SNAP recipients in New York City," Eillie Anzilotti writes for Fast Company. Citi Bikes, which, along with a number of other bike share programs, was recently bought by Lyft, hopes the subsidized memberships will bring in riders who might not have wanted to spend the $169 it normally costs to rent a bike for a year.

Subsidies for bike share are already in place in cities around the country, including Chicago where SNAP recipients are already eligible for $5-per-month memberships. "In 2016, Capitol Bikeshare in Washington, D.C. began offering $5 annual memberships for residents that received services through a collection of community organizations, like Back on My Feet, a nonprofit that combines running with homeless services, and Jubilee Jobs, an employment services program," Anzilotti writes.

Still, price is not the only hurdle low-income bike share users face. Docks for bike shares are often concentrated in richer areas, also there's the matter of finding out about available discounted rates. Those who don't know about these programs may be paying more than they need to or not considering bike share at all.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Fast Company

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Traffic in front of Trump Hotel in Manhattan, New York City.

Judge Extends NYC Congestion Pricing Through at Least June 9

A federal judge halted the Trump administration’s effort to kill the program, which remains in limbo as a lawsuit filed by the MTA moves forward.

30 minutes ago - Associated Press via KCRA

View from hilltop residential neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, California on a cloudy day.

LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals

Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.

May 27 - LAist

Canada geese and ducks on the shore of a lake with red brick boathouse in background across the lake in Lincoln Park, Los Angeles.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home

Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

May 27 - Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.