Boston, Massachusetts was one of the first large cities in the United States to launch bikeshare. Bluebikes launched in the summer of 2011 with 60 stations and 600 bikes. The system has grown to over 300 stations and around 3,000 bikes owned by the City of Boston. With municipal partners, the publicly owned bikeshare system offers more than 560 stations and 5,300 bikes across 13 municipalities. In 2023, electric bikes were added to the system. Riders have taken more than 25 million bikeshare trips since launch, including more than 4.7 million in 2024 alone.

The Boston Bikes Pass is an annual Bluebikes membership that is offered only to residents who live in the City of Boston at a reduced rate. The reduced rate membership is provided by the City of Boston to make travel by bike more affordable.

City of Boston residents who have not had a Bluebikes membership in the last three years are eligible for the $60 per year membership (regular rate is $133.50 per year). Boston residents who qualify for SNAP, MassHealth, or have an income qualifying them for these or similar programs can get an even further reduced rate at $5 per year (regular Income-Eligible rate is $50/year).

The City of Boston partners with community organizations in target neighborhoods to spread the word about the discounted passes. These community partners engage with their existing networks and relationships to encourage membership and ridership, organizing membership sign-up events and leading community rides to introduce new riders to bikeshare. 

Last summer, the City of Boston invested in a marketing campaign called “Get Your Pass In Gear” to encourage Bostonians to access the discounted memberships. This included digital and social media advertising, and resulted in a significant boost in awareness of the program and membership redemptions.  

When asked about the value of NABSA membership, the City of Boston said, “NABSA helps connect and distribute info and ideas across micromobility providers. We appreciate the work NABSA has done to highlight and profile Bluebikes since the City of Boston joined a year ago! The annual conference is a great opportunity to learn from and connect with others in the bike share community.”

To learn more about the City of Boston visit: www.boston.gov

To learn more about Bluebikes visit: bluebikes.com