Better Bike Share Partnership — A Legacy, 2014

Where it started

Equity, by design.
Not an afterthought.

Bike share took off in U.S. cities around 2008. From the start, BBSP saw who was being left out — and built a partnership to do something about it.

Original BBSP team, NABSA 2019 — Original BBSP team · NABSA 2019

BBSP recognized there was a gap in who was being served by bike share when the first systems launched.

The City of Philadelphia knew they wanted to launch a bike share system built on a foundation of equity — not equity as an afterthought.

The City of Philadelphia wanted to make sure their riders looked like the majority-minority city they rode in. The partners came together around a common vision: to help bike and scooter share intentionally engage BIPOC and low-income communities in planning and implementation.

Philadelphia used early funding to install 20 stations in underserved neighborhoods, develop a cash payment option, and create a discounted pass program. That blueprint became the BBSP playbook.

2008

First U.S. bike share systems launch

2014

BBSP founded · Philadelphia plans Indego on a foundation of equity

2016

First grants deployed · <5% of systems offer equity programs

2024

92% of systems offer discount programs

Impact by the numbers

Twelve years of impact.

Every number below is what BBSP grants, fellows, stories, and roundtables actually produced. No projections — only deployed work.

G·01 · RETROSPECTIVE$0^M+Awarded to projects increasing shared micromobility access in communities of color

G·02 · SINCE 20140Total grants awarded since BBSP's inception in 2014

G·03 · SINCE 201479 mini
+ 9 Living LabGrants awarded · cumulative since 2014

G·040Cities reached across the U.S.

G·050States with active BBSP work

G·06 · LED BY NACTO0Transportation Justice Fellows graduated

G·070⁺Stories published over 10 years

G·080Best-practice guides

G·090Equity in Shared Micromobility Roundtable gatherings

G·100National research · Drexel · PSU

G·11 · RETROSPECTIVE$0^K+Contributed to equity content and increasing diversity at national conferences · NABSA & NACTO Designing Cities

G·120Grantee Impact Reports published

G·13 · OUTREACH EVENTS0⁺New people who rode shared bikes and scooters during outreach events

G·14 · SOURCE: COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY ↗ $0^M+ Annual U.S. healthcare savings attributed to bike share nationally — the public-health dividend of the field BBSP helped scale. Clockston, R.L.M. & Rojas-Rueda, D., Colorado State University. “Health impacts of bike-sharing systems in the U.S.,” Environmental Research 202 (2021), 111709. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.111709 · via BBSP, “Bike Share is a Boon for Public Health” (Aug 2021).

How BBSP worked

Four pillars.

Each program reinforced the others. Grants funded critical outreach and education; storytelling spread what worked; peer convenings let practitioners trade ideas, present their work, and learn valuable insights; and the Transportation Justice Fellowship grew the next decade of BIPOC leaders.

PROGRAM · 01

Grantmaking

BBSP implemented a variety of grant programs including Challenge Grants, Emergency Response Grants, Mini Grants, and Living Lab Grants. BBSP grants were invaluable to the organizations and partnerships that received them. The unfortunate reality is that it is challenging to secure funding specifically for outreach and engagement programs. BBSP grants allowed shared micromobility systems to increase ridership among people of color and in socially vulnerable communities, allowed the systems to be a more consistent presence that communities could rely on, and once BBSP had invested in these organizations, funding from other sources became easier to secure.

$4M+across 126 grants · 64 cities

PROGRAM · 02

Storytelling

More than 700 stories across ten years documented successful equity work in shared micromobility from every angle — a public library of what inclusive shared bike and scooter systems look like in practice. BBSP's storytelling focused on uplifting the voices of those often overlooked in discussions of successful bike share programming and the stories helped seed ideas for more equity projects carried out throughout the country. One of BBSP's storytelling goals was to get the word out so that people could replicate the successful outreach and engagement work being done.

700+stories · permanent archive

PROGRAM · 03

Peer-to-Peer Learning Opportunities

Consistent and anticipated peer gatherings and study tours — like the annual Roundtable, an intimate work and play space with 40 people ranging from half-day workshops to multi-day study tours — plus regular peer social functions at national conferences like the NACTO's Designing Cities Conference and North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association's (NABSA) annual conference.

Thirteen Roundtable events over 10 years brought shared micromobility practitioners together for peer exchange. The final 2026 Roundtable drew 40 practitioners from 20 cities to Tucson, AZ, for two days of collaboration, riding bikes and scooters, and sharing meals. Attendees discussed successes, tackled common hurdles, and brainstormed ways to ensure micromobility truly serves every member of a community. Success stories from BBSP Living Lab grantees and a dialogue between Tucson Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz and organizer Vanessa Gallego from Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad (FUGA) reminded us what this work is all about: bike share that truly serves our communities.

13gatherings · 20 cities at Tucson 2026

PROGRAM · 04 · LED BY NACTO

Transportation Justice Fellowship

This intentional fellowship built community and skills among early- and mid-career people of color working to embed mobility justice in transportation. The fellowship supported and sustained these professionals as they did the heavy work to operationalize equity across the transportation field. Each year, between eight and 12 fellows were welcomed to the program. They participated in skills-building sessions, collaborated on small projects, and received one-on-one coaching from experts working at the intersection of transportation and social justice. Fellows also helped shape programming for NACTO's annual Designing Cities conference.

Forty-three fellows graduated over the life of the program — building a pipeline of diverse leaders whose impact will outlast the fellowship itself.

43fellows · across cohorts

Stories from the ground

Living Labs.

Deep community investment.

Nine $200,000 grants across two cohorts and eight cities (Philadelphia twice) gave cities, transit agencies, nonprofit operators, and community organizations the time to pilot, pivot, and accelerate programs otherwise impossible. A true Living Lab, these projects tested ideas and found what really worked for their communities. We've selected four case studies — two from each cohort — that show what that time and trust made possible on the ground.

2021–23 cohort

        Indego (Philadelphia) · MoGo (Detroit) · PBOT/BIKETOWN (Portland) · Red Bike (Cincinnati) · the Northwest Center (Chicago)
        A compilation of their work

2024–26 cohort

        Indego (Philadelphia) · POGOH (Pittsburgh) · TUGO (Tucson) · the Los Angeles Living Lab Coalition (BikeLA, Los Angeles Walks, Walk-n-Rollers, CicLAvia, LA Metro Bike Share)
        Impact Reports: POGOH · TUGO · Indego & Los Angeles coming July 2026

● Featured story

● Living Lab city

LAT 39.83
LON −98.58
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Now showingAll 64 grant cities · 32 states

Grant126 deployed

Story 01 / 04 · Chicago, IL

Living Lab · 2021–2023

Bikes for Belmont Cragin.

A neighborhood-led plan that turned bike infrastructure into community infrastructure.

Belmont Cragin Youth Transit Ambassadors in Northwest Chicago — Belmont Cragin Youth Transit Ambassadors · Chicago

The Northwest Center, a nonprofit in Belmont Cragin, used their Living Lab grant to empower youth, build community, and shine a light on transportation needs in the local neighborhood. Youth Transit Ambassadors (YTAs) ran workshops, organized community rides, participated in state capitol visits to inform their elected officials on the transportation needs in their neighborhood, and successfully advocated for bike lanes and bike share stations.

~0community members signed up for the Divvy D4E income-based membership

0miles of bike lanes added — alongside 13 new Divvy stations

0⁺trips in 2022; an average of 105 daily trips

0^%more trips per capita than other Phase II expansion neighborhoods

“This was my first time joining the Bikes 4 Belmont Cragin group, and what a nice time I had. I brought my two kids ages 11 and 15 and they could not stop talking about how they loved the bike lanes and the food! We connected with some other youth and started a conversation around what protected bike lanes mean to us. I can’t wait to be more involved and to tell others about what is going on in our community.”— Marizol Hernandez · October 2021

The detail that sticks

The Northwest Center community and youth organizer who led the Living Lab was so inspired by what they accomplished that he went on to found his own youth-based nonprofit dedicated to transportation justice in Chicago. The grant did more than fund a program — it created a leader.

Read the final report

Story 02 / 04 · Cincinnati, OH

Living Lab · 2021–2024

Red Bike GO.

Neighborhood by neighborhood, ambassador by ambassador — building a system the community owns.

Red Bike outreach tent at a Cincinnati community event — Red Bike · Cincinnati community outreach

Red Bike used their Living Lab grant to expand access into underserved neighborhoods through service expansion, community ambassador programs, youth engagement, and data infrastructure. Their approach — thoughtful, community-led, and data-backed — became a model other systems could replicate.

0^%increase in Red Bike GO member trips over the grant period

0^%of all Red Bike trips in 2023 taken by Red Bike GO members

0underserved neighborhoods added (Walnut Hills, Lower Price Hill, West End, Avondale) + a men's shelter which was used heavily as soon as it was installed

0youth bike rides hosted (ages 14–18)

“People need a friend in the process – someone to vouch for the new thing, someone to show them how it works, how it might be most useful. We’ve got bikes, we’ll put them out there, they’ll be accessible, but the Ambassadors are the connection. They’re the familiar face who shows you how to check out a bike, they help you raise your seat for a more comfortable ride, they tell you the safest route to the park. Everyone needs a bike friend.”— Elese Daniel · Red Bike Engagement Manager

Read the final report

Story 03 / 04 · Pittsburgh, PA

Living Lab · 2024–2026

Advancing Equitable Outreach in Homewood.

POGOH, operated by Bike Share Pittsburgh, launched its Living Lab to address disparities in access to mobility in Homewood.

Neighborhood group ride on POGOH bikes through Pittsburgh streets — POGOH community ride · Pittsburgh

Through this initiative, the POGOH Living Lab worked alongside residents, schools, and community organizations to understand the real barriers to bike share use, build trust through consistent local engagement, create pathways for new riders — especially youth and families — and expand infrastructure to better serve community needs.

0^%increase in ridership over the Living Lab grant period

0^%increase in station use in Homewood

0^%increase in "Mobility Justice" memberships

0people reached directly by ambassadors

The detail that sticks

POGOH's Living Lab centered on a holistic, community-driven approach — pairing education, events, and partnerships to reduce barriers and build long-term engagement in Homewood. Through direct engagement led by POGOH outreach staff and community ambassadors, new station locations were identified — all within Homewood or a half-mile radius — strengthening connectivity and making the system more accessible for daily use. Expansion planning wasn't just about adding stations, but about placing them where they could have the greatest impact.

As a result, ridership to and from bike share stations in Homewood increased by 277% during the Living Lab grant period.

Read the final report

Story 04 / 04 · Tucson, AZ

Living Lab · 2024–2026

TUGO Para Nuestros Barrios.

Bike share planned by the neighborhoods that were left out.

Riders on yellow TUGO bike share bikes during a community ride in Tucson — Community ride on TUGO bikes · Tucson

TUGO Bike Share used its Living Lab grant to reallocate existing stations in Tucson's south and west sides through community-led planning — residents shaping where stations go and what happens around them, not the other way around.

0stations relocated to westside barrios — Barrio Hollywood, Santiago Hills, Barrio El Rio, Silvercroft, and Brichta — guided by the Tugo Equity Priority Index

0community events and rides — block parties, barrio walks, and twice-monthly Mobility Rituals

0⁺first-time riders introduced to the system through Living Lab events

0^%increase in "Tugo For All" equity memberships

The detail that sticks

Engagement here wasn't transactional — it was Community Mobility Rituals: barrio walks, block parties, and the monthly Bicicleteada del Sur. And when intensified immigration enforcement brought fear to the barrios, the team adapted in real time — protecting privacy, prioritizing emotional safety, and proving that equitable mobility is built on trust as much as infrastructure.

Read the final report

International legacy

A playbook for shared micromobility.

Beyond local wins for individual bike and scooter share systems, BBSP's lasting legacy is the way its ideas, tools, and partnerships continue shaping shared micromobility (SMM). With partners like NABSA, it changed how systems serve those who need a variety of mobility options most — and how they're designed across North America.

“BBSP has played a critical role in the fundamental transformation of SMM by helping cities address systemic and institutional barriers to access for low-income and BIPOC communities. Through funding, research, and technical assistance, BBSP has supported cities in testing new ideas, developing strategies, and learning from one another. As a result, the SMM industry has evolved to a place where equity is at the center of system design and operations, not as an afterthought, but as a core principle. That shift is in large part due to BBSP's leadership and sustained investment in this work.” — Waffiyyah Murray · Indego Program Manager · City of Philadelphia

What we built with partners

—Contributed to NABSA's Workforce Diversity Toolkit · a best practices guide for more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
—$100K+ funded Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) content and scholarships for BIPOC attendees at the NABSA and NACTO conferences
—The Diverse Voices in Shared Micromobility video series · with NABSA.
—NABSA's City Share podcast · practitioner conversations from across the field.

The playbook travels.

In both directions: when Guadalajara's MiBici expanded with eight new stations sited by women riders through a gender-responsive planning guide, BBSP spread the word — putting the work in front of practitioners across North America so the next system could learn from it.

BBSP did more than support systems in their efforts to get more BIPOC and low-income people on shared bikes and scooters. It helped define what equity in shared micromobility can and should look like.

Women riders on MiBici bikes in front of a large mural in Guadalajara — MiBici riders · Guadalajara, MX

“The partnership's influence on the shared micromobility industry is evident and will live on through the network of practitioners who will continue to apply what they have learned as a result of being a part of the BBSP family. Biking is better in North America because of the Better Bike Share Partnership.” — Tangier Barnes Wright · Deputy Director of Shared Micromobility, PeopleForBikes

Credits · The BBSP team

With gratitude.

Thank you to the people who helped shape BBSP.

Waffiyyah Murray

Indego Program Manager

City of Philadelphia

One of the matriarchs and founding partners of BBSP, she helped design and implement many of the program's core strategies while playing a pivotal role in advancing and sharing best practices for equitable bike share. Her leadership was instrumental in ensuring that shared micromobility systems across the nation could benefit from BBSP's research, resources, and community-centered approach.

Meghan Alvarez

Transportation Engagement Coordinator

City of Philadelphia

Supported BBSP's nationwide grantmaking while leading novel engagement programs for Indego at the City of Philadelphia and representing our programs at conferences throughout North America.

Lor Song

Education Programs Manager

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Core organizer and manager of community outreach, educational programming, and equity-focused initiatives. Bike ride leader extraordinaire who demonstrated how to lead through inclusivity.

Tangier Barnes Wright

Deputy Director, Shared Micromobility

PeopleForBikes

Led PeopleForBikes' shared micromobility portfolio and helped steward BBSP's national strategy. Helped design and implement all BBSP program areas.

Odochi Akwani

Writer & Content Manager

PeopleForBikes

Led BBSP's storytelling and content work in the final years and wrote stories that became BBSP's public record — the through-line of a decade of work.

Camille Boggan

Program Manager, Policy & Practice

NACTO

Tracked policy across systems and partners so BBSP's lessons could travel between cities. Led design and implementation of the BBSP Roundtables.

Fielding Hong

Senior Manager, Field Building

NACTO

Built the Transportation Justice Fellowship into a durable peer network across 5 years and contributed to cultivating a national example of how to advance equity in transportation.

Cary Bearn

Senior Manager, Multimodal Design & Programs

NACTO

Shaped how cities translate equity intent into street design, station siting, and day-to-day operating practice.

BBSP would also like to thank Aaron Ritz, Alex Engel, Aminah Ricks, Carniesha Kwashie, Farrah Daniel, Kate Fillin-Yeh, Kiran Herbert, Nicole Payne, Rani Narula-Woods, Stefani Cox, Yadira Cabrera, Zoe Kircos — and everyone who helped bring the vision of BBSP to life.

A partnership of

Advancing equity in shared micromobility.

Equity, by design.
Not an afterthought.

From a footnote to the norm.

Twelve years of impact.