August 4, 2020

New stations include locations in East and West Side neighborhoods, Outer Harbor, & North Buffalo, along with 40 additional bikes

BUFFALO, NY - Reddy Bikeshare, in partnership with Independent Health, announced today that 11 new stations and 40 new bikes have been added to the fleet in the City of Buffalo for a total of 240 bikes and 55 stations now available. This expansion marks the first time bikes have been added to the fleet in Buffalo since the program launched on July 21, 2016 with 200 bikes. With 145 bikes and 30 stations in Niagara Falls, Reddy Bikeshare now provides a total of 385 bikes at 85 stations in the Buffalo-Niagara region.

Most of the new stations will provide service to neighborhoods on the East and West Sides of Buffalo, along with two locations that will be added at the Outer Harbor, and on Hertel Ave.

Mayor Byron W. Brown stated, "As City residents increasingly turn to bicycles to get around during the COVID-19 emergency, Reddy Bikeshare's expansion to new neighborhoods will provide safe, convenient, and sustainable transit access to many additional City residents, helping us continue to build a more fair, inclusive and equitable City of Opportunity. I thank Reddy Bikeshare, in partnership with Independent Health, for expanding this successful program to East and West Side neighborhoods, including the Northland Workforce Training Center. I look forward to seeing more riders take to the streets as a result of the expanded stations.”

According to Reddy Bikeshare Co-Founder and Communications Director, Jennifer White, it is important for the non-profit to provide equitable access to transportation options that are healthy, environmentally friendly and affordable. “This expansion announcement in partnership with Independent Health is the first step in our plan to help guide new users into a healthier and more active lifestyle through Reddy Bikeshare’s increased presence in more of Buffalo’s communities. We’re focused on cultivating strong relationships with our new station partners here at the Northland Workforce Training Center and around the City, and with East Side community leaders in the Fruit Belt, Kensington-Bailey, and Jefferson-Utica neighborhoods.”

“Supporting the expansion of Reddy Bikeshare access to better serve diverse communities, particularly on the east and west sides of Buffalo, is an important part of our overall efforts to create opportunities for all Western New Yorkers to have a fair and equal chance to lead the healthiest lifestyle possible,” said Michael W. Cropp, M.D., president and CEO, Independent Health. “We’re proud to work in tandem with Reddy Bikeshare to expand this very successful program and build these new locations – allowing even more residents to take advantage of all the health benefits and convenience cycling has to offer.” Hear more about the expansion of Reddy Bikeshare from Dr. Cropp.

Reddy Bikeshare is currently operating in its 5th season in Buffalo and also expanded to Niagara Falls last September in partnership with Independent Health and with support from the city of Niagara Falls. Use of Reddy bikes has more than doubled in comparison to this time last year, with GPS tracking technology on the bikes recording a 114% increase in riding. White says this statistic is attributed to the Niagara Falls expansion as well as the local “bike boom” as Western New Yorkers continuously turn to biking for safe and socially distant transportation, recreation and fitness options.

Several membership options are available for purchase, and to accommodate an increased demand, Reddy Bikeshare is offering $20 annual memberships (normally a $55.00 value) purchased through August 15 with the promo code BIKEBOOM2020, though, White mentioned that the best way to introduce new users to the program is with free memberships and community engagement. “Over the past four years, we’ve learned through experience and through our partnerships that free memberships and guided group rides are an effective way to promote healthy behavior change”. M&T Bank employees have travelled about 13,000 miles on Reddy bikes since 2017, a statistic made possible through support from M&T Bank which provides free memberships to employees as part of the company’s benefits and health and wellness initiatives. White says Reddy Bikeshare seeks to provide the same offer for community residents through support from new and returning station partners.

Free annual passes are available to community residents of the east side University District through a partnership with the University District Community Development Association and support from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). Residents can sign up in person on Saturday, August 15 in front of Varsity Theatre to redeem their free annual pass (with proof of residence) and receive a bikeshare tutorial. Residents can also visit Reddy Bikeshare’s Facebook event page or udcda.org for more information, or join in on a socially distant group ride on Saturday, August 22. At both events, attendees can also receive a free adult helmet, t-shirt, and sunglasses (while supplies last).

“The UDCDA continues to work on ways to increase the community’s overall wellbeing. This not only includes affordable housing, youth and senior services, and business development; it also includes activities that bring families together and promote healthy living. Our partnership with Reddy Bikeshare and HCR is another great way for the UDCDA to engage the community and increase the value of living, working, and enjoying the University District.” – Roseann Scibilia, UDCDA Executive Director.

Free annual passes are also available to employees working on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus employees and community residents in the Fruit Belt, with support from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. “BNMC is committed to supporting healthy and active lifestyles and we are excited to help expand this program to more of our community.” – Jamie Hamann-Burney, Director of Planning & Implementation

Reddy Bikeshare makes bicycles easily available to individuals and groups for shared use on a short-term basis, allowing users to pick up a bike from one of the stations and return it to any other designated location. Reddy Bikeshare opened for service in April 2020 operating with new health and safety protocols to help protect riders, including complimentary hand sanitizers made available on the bikes. More information on Reddy’s sanitizing efforts can be found at reddybikeshare.com.

For more information on Reddy Bikeshare’s expansion or how to redeem a free annual pass, contact Jennifer White at jen@reddybikeshare.com or at 716-407-7474.