Lower Moyamensing Civic Association

In June, the City of Philadelphia announced that Bicycle Transit Systems had been awarded a ten-year concessionaire contract to continue operating the Indego bike share system.

Bicycle Transit Systems is a Philadelphia based company which has been responsible for building and operating the Indego bike share program over the past five years. Bicycle Transit Systems has helped Indego expand from 60 stations and 600 bicycles to more than 140 stations and 1,400 bicycles, including the introduction of electric bikes in 2019. Since launch, more than four million rides have been taken on Indego.

Over the past five years, Bicycle Transit Systems has worked closely with the City of Philadelphia as a ‘living laboratory’ for the Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP), a national initiative focused on creating equity in bike share and shared micro-mobility. This work is poised to continue and expand alongside the Indego program.   

“Bicycle Transit Systems has proven that they share the City’s values for mobility, sustainability, and equity, and we’re thrilled that they will continue operating and growing Indego for the next ten years,” said Deputy Managing Director for Transportation Mike Carroll of the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability, which manages the Indego program for the City. “We thank all of our partners, including members of City Council, whose approval of the new contract was crucial to moving forward.”

“As title sponsor since its inception, Independence is proud to continue our partnership with Indego − one of the most accessible, equitable, and inclusive bike share programs in America,” said Daniel J. Hilferty, Independence Blue Cross President and CEO. “Indego has given tens of thousands of people access to a healthy and fun way to travel through the city. The program’s expansion under Bicycle Transit Systems will allow more people to take advantage of this fantastic resource.”

The new contract, which starts in January, was approved by City Council based on the strength of Bicycle Transit Systems’ application and their excellent track record of running Indego. In this blog, Indego will share more details about the expansion and how to get involved!

Indego Expansion Plan

The expansion of Indego will align with the principles outlined in the 2018 Indego business plan conducted by the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability, and the core values of Bicycle Transit Systems.

Over the next five years, Indego is committed to:

• Increasing the fleet of bicycles to 3,500 bikes, of which half would be Indego Electric.
• More than doubling the size of the system to 350 stations, reaching more communities within South, West, North, and Northwest Philadelphia.   
• Expanding the service in a way that balances serving new neighborhoods with densifying the core service area to support increased ridership.
• Continuing to invest in equity and community engagement initiatives; Indego’s focus on serving low-income and communities of color is a key aspect of the program.
• Introducing and expanding new technology including electric bikes and energy-saving stations.

Community input will continue to serve as a cornerstone of Indego’s expansion strategy. Read on to learn how you can get involved in Indego’s expansion planning work! 

Two Ways You Can Get Involved in 2021

In 2021, Indego plans to install 600 new docking points (approximately 30 new stations) and introduce 300 electric bikes to the fleet. The focus for system growth in 2021 is expanding Indego’s service in West and parts of South Philadelphia while also adding more stations to the existing service area. The map below indicates the general expansion plan for 2021.

Indego is also working on a five-year expansion plan, which will serve areas not depicted in the 2021 expansion zone. More information will be released as it becomes available later next year.

1. Submit a Station Request on the Indego Website

Indego relies on community input as part of its expansion planning, and as long-term expansion planning begins, the team wants to know where you would like to see new Indego stations. An online tool has been added to the Indego website to help gather this feedback. Click here to learn more about what makes a great station location and to submit your suggestion!

Don’t have internet access? Text or call the Indego support team at (844) 446-3346 to provide your input.    

2. Become an Indego Expansion Liaison

The Indego team is seeking up to seven Indego Expansion Liaisons who will serve as advisers to the Indego program as it expands to several new neighborhoods in 2021. If you have an interest in bike share and connections with communities in West or South Philadelphia, consider applying to be an Indego Expansion Liaison! 

Want more information about this opportunity? Read the full Indego Expansion Liaison job description here and/or attend the virtual information session on Thursday, December 17th.  Candidates should submit their applications by January 4th, 2021.