Effects of COVID-19 on Bikeshare (Docked and Dockless) and E-scooter Operations
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS) interactive bikeshare and e-scooter map shows the effects of COVID-19 on bikeshare (docked and dockless) and e-scooter systems in from January to August 2020. Many systems temporarily suspended operations or delayed seasonal opening. Several systems closed due to budgetary issues and no longer serve the area. Click to view the changes by month. A summary of system changes from March to August 2020 is presented below the map. From March, 35
systems closed and 156 suspended operations. Half remain suspended as of August 2020. 46 of 170
cities lost service.
March through August 2020 System Changes
At the beginning of March 2020, a total of 102 docked bikeshare systems, 57 dockless bikeshare systems, and 213 e-scooter systems served one or more cities in the U.S. This includes systems still closed for the winter season.
During March through August 2020, many bikeshare (docked and dockless) and e-scooter systems closed temporarily in response to COVID-19 and some systems closed permanently.
In summary,
- 26 percent (27 systems) of docked bikeshare systems closed permanently and 19 percent (19 systems suspended operations while the remaining 55 percent (56 systems) remained open throughout March to August 2020.
- 9 percent (5 systems) of dockless bikeshare systems closed permanently and 7 percent (4 systems) suspended operations while the remaining 84 percent (48 systems) remained open throughout March to August 2020.
- 1 percent (3 systems) of e-scooter systems closed permanently and 62 percent (133 systems) suspended operations while the remaining 36 percent (77 systems) remained open throughout March to August 2020.
Suspended systems closed for all of or a period of time during March through August 2020.
Systems that Suspended Operations
A total of 19 docked bikeshare systems, 4 dockless bikeshare systems, and 133 e-scooter systems suspended operations for a period of time during March through August 2020. Roughly half of these systems re-opened by August 2020, while the other half remain suspended or closed permanently.
System Changes By City
At the beginning of March 2020, 170 cities had a bikeshare (docked or dockless) and/or e-scooter system. As of August 2020, 46 of the 170 cities (27 percent) no longer have a bikeshare or e-scooter system. In these 46 cities, the bikeshare and/or e-scooter system remains suspended or closed permanently.
Systems that serve more than one city, such as Capital Bikeshare (Washington, DC) counted only once. During March through August 2020, the systems serving five cities changed. In these five cities, all systems were suspended. To keep the total number suspended systems from changing in these five cities, the number of suspended systems was set to the number of systems serving the area in August 2020 and any new system was counted as a re-opened system.
System changes for 2020 available in the Bikeshare and E-Scooter System Changes by Month and System Status dataset. For data for prior years, see the Interactive Bikeshare and E-scooter Map, which shows, by city, the name of the bikeshare (docked or dockless) and/or e-scooter system serving it for every year from 2015.
For information on docked bikeshare ridership in 2020, see the effects of COVID-19 on docked bikeshare ridership.
For any questions or comments, please contact Theresa Firestine.
