Vall-eBike

Valley Regional Transit’s Vall-eBike electric bike-share pilot program ended on October 31, 2022.There are currently no plans to relaunch the system for the 2023 season. The pilot program, which launched on July 13, 2022 with fifty bikes in downtown Boise, demonstrated the benefits and popularity of electric-assist shared bicycles. In the three-and-a-half months the program operated, it attracted 2,400 riders who took nearly 3,000 trips. The 50 electric-assist shared bicycles were provided by Drop Mobility, who provided the bicycles with a low-cost lease that allowed us to demonstrate the interest in electric bikes. Electric-assist shared bicycles have transformed the bike-share industry. Because users can more easily get to their destinations with the added electric boost, cities that have adopted the technology routinely see a dramatic increase in ridership. While the pilot program was brief, VRT considers it a success. We are developing plans to potentially serve a broader zone in Ada and Canyon County in the future with more bikes that are equitably distributed. We hope to relaunch Vall-eBike in 2024. VRT would like to thank project sponsors, including the Capitol City Development Corporation (CCDC) who provided the initial $50,000 required to bring the bikes to Boise and offered to match the next $50,000 in sponsorships. With that match from CCDC, VRT secured additional sponsorships from the Treasure Valley Clean Cities Coalition, Idaho Advocates for Community Transportation, KeyBank, and Cushing Terrell for a total of $25,000. The sponsorships and ride revenue covered Vall-eBike’s operating costs.