Lyft's annual Christmas coal came just in time for the new year — another Citi Bike price increase, the company's third since the beginning of 2024.
Starting Jan. 6, e-bike fees will increase from 24 cents per minute to 25 cents per minute for members and 36 cents per minute to 38 cents per minute for non-members, Lyft anounced on the Citi Bike website.
E-bike trips in and out of Manhattan, which were capped at just $3 before taxes this time last year, will now be capped at $5 — or $5.44 after taxes, according to Lyft, which operates the bike-share system on a contract from the city that gives it 100 percent of the program's revenues.
Non-members will now pay $4.99 to unlock a Citi Bike bike, up from $4.79. Citi Bike annual membership will remain at $219.99 for the next year, however, the announcement said.
The Adams administration negotiated e-bike per-minute price caps when it renewed the company's contract in 2023. Lyft's latest increases still fall below those caps — even as they earned mild jeers from regular users.
I'm cool with inflation existing on everything except for my Citi Bike e-bike rates pic.twitter.com/VETklGcM6h
— Joe Hale (@kuperhale) December 27, 2024
Though some saw the bright side:
Late Christmas gift! Citibike annual membership stays the same as last year, $220 a year. We can bike around NYC all year for less than a car insurance payment! Call me up when owning a car costs $220 a year. pic.twitter.com/58A9tRSP4r
— Phil Walkability🇺🇸🦅🌲💙 (@PhilSustainable) December 27, 2024
A rep for Lyft attributed the price hike to inflation and the cost of operating Citi Bike's popular e-bikes, which carry about 66 percent of all rides but comprise only around 40 percent of the bike-share fleet, the spokesman said.
E-bikes require Citi Bike workers to swap out their batteries when they're out of power. The company has been slow in getting the city and ConEd to create infrastructure that charges batteries while in the dock. And there were sporadic problems in Lower Manhattan this year.
On the plus side, Lyft announced earlier this month that it would widen the Citi Bike footprint to include Bay Ridge and additional neighborhoods on the current flank.
