Divvy

Divvy is the bicycle sharing system in the Chicago metropolitan area, currently serving the cities of Chicago and Evanston. The system is owned by the Chicago Department of Transportation and has been operated by Lyft since 2019. As of Sept 2021, Divvy operated 16,500 bicycles and over 800 stations, covering 190 square miles.[3]

Divvy
Overview
OwnerCity of Chicago
LocaleChicago, IL, U.S.
Transit typeBicycle sharing system
Number of stations659[1]
Annual ridership6,300,000+ bike and scooter trips (2022)[2]
Websitewww.divvybikes.com
Operation
Began operationJune 28, 2013 (June 28, 2013)[1]
Operator(s)Lyft
Number of vehiclesOver 15,000[1]
Dearborn & Washington Divvy Station, Chicago Loop.

History

In 2007, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley visited Paris, France, where he tested their Vélib' bicycle sharing system and was "greatly impressed".[4] He determined that a similar system would work well in Chicago.[5] After returning from his European trip, Mayor Daley requested proposals from private partners to create a bike share system for Chicago. Two potential operators came forward but submitted plans that would have been too expensive for the city to fund.[6]

In May 2012, the City of Chicago awarded Alta Bicycle Share (acquired by Bikeshare Holdings LLC in 2014 and renamed to Motivate)[7] a contract for "the purchase, installation, and operation of a bicycle sharing system".[8]

On June 28, 2013, Divvy launched with 750 bikes at 75 stations in an area from the Loop north to Berwyn Ave, west to Kedzie Ave, and south to 59th St.[9][10] A planned expansion of the number of stations in spring 2014 was delayed to 2015 due to supply shortages.[11]

Unionization

In October 2014, TWU (Transport Workers' Union) Local 100 of New York City filed an election petition with the NLRB seeking to represent "almost 70 full-time and part-time workers, including mechanics and truck drivers, who are paid $12 to $16 an hour."[12]

The unionization effort came after employees of Citi Bike in NYC, owned by the same parent company Motivate (formerly Alta Bicycle Share), joined TWU Local 100 in September 2014[13] and alongside similar efforts by employees of Motivate in Boston (Hubway)[14] and Washington, D.C. (Capital Bikeshare).[15]

2019 expansion

In March 2019, Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposed a 9-year contract to grant Lyft (owner of Motivate) exclusive rights to operate the city-owned system and receive a portion of the subsequent advertisement revenue. The deal required Lyft to invest US$50 million to add 175 stations and 10,500 bikes to the system, expand to all 50 city wards by 2021, and add electric pedal bikes which could lock to both Divvy stations and conventional bike racks. Lyft would additionally be required to make annual payments to the city starting at US$6 million and increasing by 4 percent each year; the city would share in at least US$1.5 million in advertisement revenue each year.[16]

The proposal passed a Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee vote in the City Council on April 8[17] and was approved by the full City Council on April 10.[18]

As of the end of 2022, Divvy had over 800 stations, mostly within Chicago city limits, with numerous stations in Evanston as well. Divvy covers a total of 234 square miles, the largest service area of any bicycle sharing system in North America.[1]

Branding

The name Divvy is a playful reference to sharing ("divvy it up"). Divvy's light-blue color palette and four stars evoke the Chicago flag. The double Vs in the Divvy logo refer to the shared-lane markers painted on bike lanes throughout the city, and are a nod to how the city prioritizes bike safety, paving the way for new riders.

The naming, logo, and brand strategy for the system was developed through a partnership between the global design firm IDEO and the Chicago brand strategy studio Firebelly Design. IDEO led the project's research, conceptual brand development, and naming phases; Firebelly team led the identity design, communication system and brand guideline phases.

The first 4,000 Founding Members received limited edition black keys; regular members received blue keys.[19]

Equipment
Further information on the bikes and payment kiosks: PBSC Urban Solutions § Equipment
Divvy bikes in Chicago

Divvy bicycles are utility bicycles with a unisex step-through frame that provides a lower center of gravity and ease of access to a wide range of heights. All bikes are painted "Chicago blue", with the exception of one "unicorn bike": a bright red bike, dubbed #Divvyred.[20]

The one-piece aluminum frame and handlebars conceal cables to protect them from vandalism and inclement weather. The heavy-duty tires are designed to be puncture-resistant and filled with nitrogen to maintain proper inflation pressure longer.[21] Front and rear flashing LED lights are integrated into the frame, which weighs approximately 40 lb (18 kg). Divvy bikes have three speeds, a bell, and a front rack.

The bikes are manufactured in the Saguenay, Quebec region by Cycles Devinci. PBSC Urban Solutions supplies bicycles, docking stations, and payment kiosks for the system.

Through the end of October 2014, the Chicago Blackhawks partnered with Divvy to release five black and red Blackhawks-branded bikes.[22]

See also

References
  1. "Divvy for the Entire City: Divvy Service Hits All 50 Wards" (Press release). City of Chicago. May 2, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. "Divvy Data". City of Chicago. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  3. Greenfield, John (24 Sep 2021). "The reward for expansion and electrification of Divvy is record-breaking ridership". Streetsblog Chicago. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  4. "Chicago eyes Paris self-service bike scheme". Agence France-Presse. September 12, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2019 – via expatica.com.
  5. "Paris' Popular Bike Program May Inspire Others". NPR. September 15, 2007. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  6. Doster, Adam (26 April 2013). "What Chicago Can Learn From Other Cities' Bike-Sharing Programs". Chicago. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  7. "Bikeshare Holdings LLC Signs Agreement to Acquire Alta Bicycle Share". motivateco.com/. 28 October 2014. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  8. "Contract 26459 Details". City of Chicago. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  9. "Chicago Welcomes Divvy Bike Sharing System". Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  10. "City's Bike Sharing Program Launches Today". 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  11. Weissmann, Dan (16 July 2014). "Bike-sharing's big problem: missing bikes". Marketplace. American Public Media. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  12. "Union seeks to represent Divvy workers". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2014-11-03.
  13. "Hubway should extend do-good efforts to its workers - the Boston Globe". www.bostonglobe.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08.
  14. "Hubway Workers Seeking Union Representation - Business news - Boston.com". Archived from the original on 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2014-11-03.
  15. "D.C. Bikeshare workers look to unionize — and build a nationwide Bikeshare powerhouse - the Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2014-11-03.
  16. Buckley, Madeline (12 March 2019). "Divvy to get $50 million upgrade from Lyft investment in exchange for ride revenue under contract proposal". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  17. Wisniewski, Mary (8 April 2019). "More Divvy bikes — but none from Uber. Lyft moves closer to expansion deal that freezes out rivals". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  18. Spielman, Fran (10 April 2019). "City Council makes Lyft exclusive operator of Divvy bike-sharing for nine years". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  19. "Divvy Website Open for Membership Registration".
  20. Byrne, John (1 August 2013). "Chicago's 'unicorn': new red Divvy bicycle". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  21. Fisher, Jennifer (13 August 2013). "Divvy Bike Sharing May Come to Evanston". Evanston Patch. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  22. "Divvy #BlackhawksBike Contest - Chicago Blackhawks - Fan Zone". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
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