Divvy Bike Memberships Offered at $5 for Low Income Residents

Norman Parish | As of Wednesday, July 15, 2015


The city of Chicago is offering low income residents Divvy Bike annual memberships for $5 instead of the normal rate of $75.

The program is funded by the nonprofit, Better Bike Share Partnership and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, city officials said.

“In two years, Divvy has grown to more neighborhoods and become a transit option for more residents but cost was still a barrier for too many people,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “Divvy only works when everyone has a chance to use it. Today, we are bridging gaps. . . so more residents can benefit from Divvy, regardless of their ability to pay.”

Olatunji Oboi Reed, co-founder of bicycle advocacy group Slow Roll Chicago, said the reduced rate will allow many African-Americans to rent the bikes.

But he acknowledged that Divvy could do a better job of extending its service in the city’s West and South sides.

Divvy only reaches as far west as Pulaski Street and as far south as 75th Street.

“We see this as a first step,” Reed said.

In the next year, plans are under way to extend the service further west to the Austin neighborhood, officials said.

A family of four can’t earn more than $72,750 annually - 300 percent of the federal poverty line - to qualify for the reduced rate.

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