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What Greater Boston's new Bluebikes contract means for riders
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It's Thursday. We get back to something that's a little closer to spring-like temperatures today — good weather for a bike ride.
Wheel deal: Bluebikes prices are going up slightly today for certain rides. The fare increases are part of a new five-year contract announced this week between the Boston-area bikeshare network's operator, Lyft, and its 13 participating municipalities. ut the deal is mostly good news for Bluebikes fans. The new contract sets the stage for further expansion of a system that's already expanded a lot lately — with more electric bikes and a presence in more communities. Here's what to know:
- The fares: The first change riders will likely notice are small fare hikes. They take effect today, according to a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, which managed the contract process. The increases are aimed at "casual riders," while the prices for those who sign up for an annual membership remain the same. For non-members, the unlock fee for a single trip up to 30 minutes is going up just 5 cents to a flat $3. The price of a day pass with unlimited rides is going from $10 to $11.99. And the additional per-minute rate for e-bike rides is rising by nearly a third, from 25 cents to 33 cents, for non-members.
- The bikes: The contract calls for hundreds more of the pedal-assist e-bikes that have surged in popularity since they were first introduced in 2023. (Despite being more expensive, the ebikes are being used more than twice as often as the classic bikes as of this past January, according to the MAPC.) Bluebikes will roll out another 100 ebikes by the end of April. By the end of the year, the MAPC spokesperson said the plan is for at least 20% of the overall fleet to be ebikes. (There are currently around 5,300 bikes total.) And the contract includes a goal of getting that percentage to 33% in the coming years, which would mean more than 2,000 ebikes in the fleet.
- The stations: All those ebikes need time to charge. Up until now, that has meant Lyft employees driving around and picking them up in vans to bring the bikes to a charger. But under the new contract, Bluebikes will begin installing the system's first charging docks, located at high-ridership stations. Officials say the charging stations will mean more ready-to-ride ebikes, fewer van trips and better efficiency in general. In total, the plan calls for over 200 new and replacement stations.
- What's next: Another first in the contract is that cities and towns that joined the Bluebikes system after 2017 will no longer have to pay monthly operation fees. (The system now pays for itself!) That could make it easier to expand to even more municipalities. There's already one in the pipeline: Quincy. After getting a state grant last year, Quincy aims to start construction for the new docks this fall and have "bikes on the road" by summer 2027, according to city spokesperson Lisa Aimola.
On campus: Soon-to-close Hampshire College confirmed yesterday that all students will now be allowed to return for one final semester this fall. Initially, that option had only been offered to students in or entering their last year.
- Why? The initial policy left hundreds of Hampshire underclassmen scrambling to figure out plans for the coming fall, since many transfer deadlines for other schools have already passed. Hampshire College President Jenn Chrisler said in an email that the change "will provide additional time for students unable to complete their degree at Hampshire to consider a wider array of potential transfer options and timelines," as The Boston Globe first reported.
PSA: A person infected with measles passed through Logan Airport last week. According to Boston health officials, anyone in Terminal C between midnight and 2:30 a.m. on April 14 could have been exposed to the highly contagious virus. The infected traveler was on a flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
- If you never got the measles vaccine and were potentially exposed, health officials recommend monitoring for symptoms and avoiding public places until May 5.
North of the border: The company that owns TD Garden is looking to build a casino at one of New Hampshire's largest hotels. The Boston Business Journal reports Delaware North plans to move the Gate City Casino into Nashua’s castle-like Sheraton hotel (both of which are owned by Delaware North).
South of the border: Plans to redevelop part of East Providence's waterfront as a port facility for the offshore wind industry have been paused, following the Trump administration's freeze for offshore wind permitting. Now, local leaders are looking to redevelop it as a port for other purposes.
P.S.— As tourists pour into the Bay State this summer, we want your ideas for the "most Massachusetts" thing they should experience while here. From must-see landmarks to more offbeat options, submit your suggestions here.
