July 17, 2020

Membership discounts also available to the public to accommodate increased demand for biking

BUFFALO, NY - Reddy Bikeshare in partnership with Independent Health, with support from the Better Bike Share Partnership, is offering $1.00 annual passes to essential workers until 500 total passes are redeemed. 

“Reddy Bikeshare and Independent Health would like to say thank you to all the hard working and dedicated people on the front lines that have kept our community running for the past four months,” said Jennifer White, co-founder and communications director, Reddy Bikeshare, “When we first launched Reddy Bikeshare in 2016, our intention was to ensure easy, affordable access to bikes for the public. This is just one more way we are making access to Reddy bikes even easier and also recognize essential workers for all they have been doing and continue to do for our community right now.”

According to White, ridership continues to increase with every season, which is especially true this year, with a 60% increase in sign-ups so far in 2020 compared to 2019. White attributes this growth to the program’s expansion in Niagara Falls and an increased global demand for socially distant transportation, recreation and fitness options due to the pandemic.

"Across the region, biking is booming, with estimated increases around 3,000% in bike activity across Western New York," said Stacy Sauvageau, GObike Buffalo community workshop manager. "While we are thrilled with this biking boom, many area bike shops, including our community workshop, are struggling to keep up with demand. Bikeshare is vital to fill the gap as we work to get more bikes on our shelves and repair bikes recently pulled from the basement."

To accommodate an increased demand, Reddy Bikeshare is also offering $20 annual passes (normally $55)  currently available to the public. Reddy Bikeshare will also host pop-up events throughout the rest of the season where new riders will have an opportunity to receive a demonstration and tutorial on how to unlock and ride a Reddy bike. 

Here’s a list of ways to sign up for Reddy Bikeshare at a discount right now: 

• The $1.00 Reddy Bikeshare Essential Worker Annual Pass is available first-come first serve until 500 total have been redeemed
  • Sign up for the $1.00 Reddy Bikeshare Essential Worker Annual Pass
  • Registrants must provide essential industry and place of employment 
• $20 Annual Passes available to the general public through August 15
  • Available to new and returning users; must sign up using promo code BIKEBOOM2020
  • Sign up for the Annual Pass
• $5 Annual Passes available to attendees of Reddy Bikeshare pop-up events 
  • First event is this Thursday, July 16 at the Reddy Bikeshare station at Elmwood Ave. and Bidwell Parkway. For more details go to the Facebook event page.  *Event postponed due to weather, follow Reddy Bikeshare's Facebook page for future events*
  • Discount is available to new riders only; must receive Reddy Bikeshare tutorial upon sign-up.
• In partnership with Independent Health and with support from the City of Niagara Falls, residents in the Falls can sign up for $1.00 by visiting the Reddy Bikeshare kiosk at the Amtrak station at 825 Depot Ave W.

GObike, presented by Independent Health, also has resources available and initiatives to accommodate the increased demand for bikes:

• A 30% discount is available for essential employees on all bicycle service repairs at the community workshop at 98 Colvin Avenue. Visit gobikebuffalo.org to make an appointment. GObike also has bike accessories including locks, lights, and bells available for purchase.
• GObike is hosting a bike match service, BikeMatchGOBFLO, to connect people in need of bikes to those with extra bikes. Essential workers are prioritized for bike matches. Those in need of a bicycle to fulfill essential duties such as getting to work, buying groceries, or accessing healthcare can visit bikematch.network/buffalo.
• GObike is hosting virtual classes and producing bicycle safety education videos for new and experienced cyclists, as well as motorists, to encourage safe, respectful interactions between road users. Register at gobikebuffalo.org
• GObike is also advocating for the City of Buffalo to open streets to allow more space for residents to engage in active recreation like biking, walking, and jogging.

For more information, contact info@reddybikeshare.com or info@gobikebuffalo.org

About Reddy Bikeshare/Shared Mobility Inc. 

Reddy Bikeshare first launched in Buffalo, New York on July 21, 2016, in partnership with Independent Health. 200 Reddy bikes have since been available in 45 stations around the city of Buffalo. In September 2019, the program expanded to Niagara Falls with 145 bikes in 30 stations, in partnership with Independent Health and with support from the city of Niagara Falls. Reddy Bikeshare is a program of Shared Mobility Inc. (SMI), 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. 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.

About Independent Health

Independent Health, a not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Buffalo, New York, serves nearly 350,000 members and provides innovative health care products and benefits designed to engage consumers in their health and well-being. Established in 1980, our comprehensive portfolio of progressive products include HMO, POS, PPO and EPO products, Medicare and Medicaid plans, traditional indemnity insurance, individual and small group Exchange products, consumer-directed plans and health savings accounts, plus coverage for self-funded employers.  Our subsidiaries and affiliate companies include pharmacy benefit management, specialty pharmacy and the Independent Health Foundation. The company 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.