Divvy poised to become largest bike-sharing operation in North America

Big news: by sometime next year, Chicago’s bike-sharing program will be expanding by another 75 stations to become the largest bike-sharing system in North America! Divvy already installed 300 stations this year, and has plans to add 100 more in 2014.

The city just announced that it’s receiving federal funding to install an additional 75 stations. Once the funded stations are ordered and installed next year, Divvy will become the largest bike-sharing operation in North America with 475 stations, and will be the fifth largest bike sharing system in the world.

In just the four months since it was launched, Divvy has already proven to be a huge success. Over 600,000 trips have been taken by riders going more than 1.5 million miles. Divvy has sold more than 125,000 daily passes and 11,000 annual memberships. The expansion means that it will be even easier for Chicagoans to pedal to their next destination.

“As Divvy expands into more neighborhoods, and we build a 650-mile bikeway network throughout our communities, Chicago is quickly becoming the best biking city in North America,” said Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein in a news release issued by the city. “A large bike sharing system with better cycling infrastructure will encourage more Chicagoans to use bicycles as a regular means of transportation.”

And even though winter is on the horizon, Divvy stations aren’t going anywhere. Though Divvy plans to reduce the number of bikes based on anticipated ridership, all stations will remain open throughout the chilly months.

Become a Divvy member at www.DivvyBikes.com and keep up on Twitter at @DivvyBikes and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DivvyBikes.

Photo is courtesy of Hannah Helbert