Chicago topped ten million shared bike and scooter trips in 2024, setting a new record.

More Chicagoans than ever are choosing to get around via bike or scooter, coinciding with an expansion of bike lanes and Divvy stations.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDoT) announced that more than ten million trips were taken on shared bikes and e-scooters in 2024. This milestone reflects a growing demand for sustainable and convenient transportation options, supported by CDoT’s investments in micromobility infrastructure and the continued expansion of the Divvy (divvybikes.com) bikeshare system.

“Chicago’s record-breaking ridership on bikes and scooters highlights our collective commitment to building a greener, healthier and more connected city,” said Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson. “We are committed to ensuring that every neighbourhood has access to safe and affordable transportation options, from expanding Divvy stations to creating more protected bike lanes. Together, we are paving the way for a Chicago that prioritises sustainability, equity and opportunity for all.”

CDoT commissioner Tom Carney added: “This milestone shows that more Chicagoans than ever are choosing bikes and scooters to get around. By continuing to expand and improve our bike network and growing the Divvy system, we’re providing residents with safer, more efficient and more sustainable transportation options that meet their needs.”

The more than ten million rides include Divvy bike and scooter trips, alongside rides on Lime and Spin, which operate under scooter-sharing business licences in Chicago. Divvy, the city’s bikeshare system operated by Lyft, has achieved record ridership for four consecutive years.

CDoT is in the middle of adding 400 Divvy stations in neighbourhoods across the northwest, southwest and far south sides, supporting the city’s goal of achieving four stations per square mile. At that target density, every Chicagoan will be a short distance from a Divvy station and have access to Divvy bikes.

In 2024, CDoT prioritised adding Divvy stations near key transit connection points, including the Peterson/Ridge Metra Station, CTA Damen Green Line Station and CTA Orange Line’s Midway Airport Station, to enhance multi-modal transportation options and help Chicagoans connect to transit.

CDoT is working to electrify 110 Divvy stations, with 17 already installed and dozens more planned for installation in 2025. Electrified stations can charge Divvy e-bikes and e-scooters, helping reduce fleet maintenance needs by reducing manual battery swaps. Electrifying just a portion of Divvy stations will eliminate nearly 80 per cent of battery swapping, 160,000 vehicle kilometres travelled and 48 tons of CO₂ emissions each year. Electrification will also boost e-bike availability by at least 15 per cent.

The number of Chicagoans enrolled in the Divvy for Everyone (D4E) programme has more than quadrupled since 2020, demonstrating a growing need and interest in shared bikes and scooters among residents. D4E offers $5 annual memberships and lower per-minute fees for e-devices.

“Divvy continues to be a fast, convenient and affordable way to get where you’re going in Chicago, whether it’s connecting to the L, meeting up with friends or going on a leisure ride,” saidCaroline Samponaro, vice president at Lyft (www.lyft.com).“We want to see even more Chicagoans riding Divvy in 2025, which is why we’re constantly working to grow access with more stations and in-station charging for ebikes.”

In addition to shared micromobility, overall cycling in Chicago has significantly increased in recent years, with data from Replica (www.replicahq.com/post/measuring-chicagos-boost-in-biking) estimating more than twice as many people biking in Chicago since 2019, the highest growth among the ten largest cities in the USAs.

This increase coincides with Chicago’s strides in expanding its bikeway network, focusing on building a connected, low-stress system that benefits all Chicagoans. Since 2023, CDoT has added nearly 160km of bikeways, 77 per cent of which are low-stress neighbourhood greenways and protected bike lanes.

CDoT is using a community-driven approach to expanding Chicago’s bike network and creating a more equitable, safe and inviting city for cycling. Visit Chicago.gov/Bikes to learn more about Chicago’s bike network and other micromobility programming.