10th Season Launch for REDDY BIKESHARE

Reddy Bikeshare, in partnership with Independent Health, is excited to launch its 10th bikeshare season this week — a milestone that comes on the heels of a record-breaking 2024 season. It also marks 10 years of building a culture around health and active transportation in Western New York.

Shared Mobility Inc., the Buffalo-based non-profit organization that operates the bikeshare network, began deploying Reddy Bikes, and Reddy+ Bikes last week, days before the official start of Spring. Reddy+ Bikes are pedal-assist e-bikes first introduced into the fleet in Fall 2023, and users can find them in real-time with the “SoBi” smartphone app.

Last year, residents and visitors of Buffalo-Niagara logged 73,435 trips and pedaled 121,879 miles, an increase of 41% and 13% from their previous records, respectively. The calories burned last year added up to 40,525 chicken wings.

The steady rise in bikeshare usage in Western New York reflects a wider trend across North America, with a record-shattering 102 million bikeshare trips logged in 2023–the most recent year of data by North America Bikeshare & Scootershare Association. The Reddy Team expects Reddy Bikeshare usage this year to reach new heights thanks to the addition of more bikeshare stations, Reddy+ Bikes, and bike lanes or bike paths across Buffalo-Niagara.

“The love for biking in Western New York has grown, and still growing strong,” said Simon Husted, Reddy’s Marketing & Communications Coordinator. “The statistics reveal that, and so does the fact that Buffalo is home to one of the longest running bikeshare programs in the nation.”

Before Reddy Bikeshare, Shared Mobility Inc., launched Buffalo BikeShare in 2012, a program piloting GPS-equipped smart bikes across parts of the city of Buffalo and SUNY Buffalo. It was the first pilot program involving smart bikes, a technology that has gone on to transform bikeshare worldwide. In 2016, Independent Health partnered with Shared Mobility Inc., to launch Reddy Bikeshare, deploying 200 GPS-equipped bikes across 35 stations in Buffalo. The bikeshare fleet nearly doubled in size when Reddy expanded in Niagara Falls in 2019. Reddy Bikeshare is now working to increase the size of its Reddy+ fleet to at least 150 e-bikes and add more stations.

“The expansion and popularity of the Reddy Bikeshare program has exceeded all our expectations, and we are proud to make this healthy, environmentally sustainable, community-friendly transportation option available to Western New Yorkers and visitors to our region,” said Kathy Glieco, vice president of marketing at Independent Health. “As we enter the 10th season, research continues to demonstrate that cycling and ‘active commuting’ by bicycle is a major contributor to enhancing a region’s livability and overall health. With strong local roots, Independent Health remains deeply committed to the health and vibrancy of Western New York, and programs like Reddy Bikeshare have a direct and positive impact on improving te health and wellbeing of our community.”

In honor of hitting 10 seasons of bikeshare, The Reddy Team invites Western New Yorkers to pedal 10 or more miles on Reddy and earn a limited-edition T-shirt that will be unveiled at the beginning of National Bike Month in May.

Affordability remains a cornerstone of Reddy Bikeshare’s mission. Despite rising operational costs, the program continues to offer access to bikes at rates as low as a penny per minute, thanks to the support of partners like Independent Health. The addition of e-bikes provides more options for riders seeking an extra boost, with annual pass members enjoying e-bike access at $0.10 per minute. The rates position Reddy+ as one of the lowest cost options to riding an e-bike.

As Reddy Bikeshare embarks on its 10th season, the team, alongside Independent Health, is excited to see the community continue to embrace cycling as a healthy, sustainable, and enjoyable mode of transportation. With plans to further expand the bikeshare network, Reddy Bikeshare anticipates setting new records in 2025.

About Independent Health

Independent Health is an independent, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Buffalo, New York, providing innovative health care products and benefits designed to engage consumers in their health and well-being. Established in 1980, Independent Health offers a comprehensive portfolio of progressive products including HMO, POS, PPO and EPO products, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans, individual Exchange products, consumer-directed plans, health savings accounts, and coverage for self-funded employers. Our subsidiaries and affiliate companies include a third-party administrator of health benefits, pharmacy benefit management, specialty pharmacy and the Independent Health Foundation. In all, Independent Health and its affiliates serve a total of more than 550,000 lives across the country. Independent Health has been recognized nationally for its award-winning customer service, dedication to quality health care and unmatched relationships with physicians and providers. To learn more, go to www.independenthealth.com.

About Shared Mobility

Shared Mobility Inc. (SMI) of Buffalo, New York is a transportation solutions nonprofit that focuses on cutting-edge technology and best practices to build mobility systems that serve disadvantaged communities in small and mid-sized markets. These communities are not traditional markets for shared mobility operators, and SMI’s work often requires tailoring mobility solutions to fit the needs of each area. Throughout its 10 years of experience, SMI has worked across the shared mobility spectrum in the fundraising, deployment, growth, and evaluation of shared transportation systems. This includes bikesharing, carsharing, volunteer transportation, vanpooling, and transportation demand management programs. It seeks to apply the same social-equity focused mindset to its nationwide portfolio of projects. For further information, visit www.sharedmobilty.org.