Letting the Good Times Ride: Blue Bikes Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

Dec. 5, 2018

NEW ORLEANS – Whether wheeling to work, to get groceries, to meet friends or heading out to have fun, New Orleanians have made the most of Blue Bikes in its maiden voyage year.

Blue Bikes, the first bike-share program in New Orleans, launched Dec. 6, 2017, with hundreds of bikes and dozens of stations placed throughout the city. Blue Bikes offers a healthy, affordable, green way to experience New Orleans without the hassles of fighting traffic and finding parking. 

“Blue Bikes has become a vital mobility option, and we hope more people continue to ride,” said Laura Bryan, director of the New Orleans Office of Transportation. “The reduced fare and cash payment program for SNAP and Medicaid recipients has been very helpful for our residents who need it most. Over this past year, Blue Bikes has established its position in a gradually evolving bike infrastructure in New Orleans. We are excited about plans to strategically expand service to more people, and look forward to helping it grow.”

And, locals have loved it – in the first year, Blue Bikes riders have:

  • Taken 293,485 trips and ridden more than 572,000 miles – that’s equal to more than two trips from Earth to the moon!
  • Burned nearly 23 million calories 
  • Eliminated 504,402 pounds of carbon offset – saving the equivalent of more than 25,000 gallons of gasoline

     

In September, the Downtown Development District (DDD) presented Blue Bikes with a Downtown NOLA Award, recognizing the program for affordable transportation that provides greater access to neighborhoods, worksites and destinations.

Riders agree that Blue Bikes has made getting around the Big Easy even easier:

  • “It's been a tremendous benefit to my life.” – Bobby
  •  “We're seeing so much of the city that we wouldn't have otherwise seen. The Blue Bikes are fantastic!” – Pamela & Eugene
  • “Riding the Blue Bikes is so fun! It helps me get from Point A to Point B much faster than having to wait on the bus.” – Darrin
  • “Easy to use the keypad, and a very smooth ride.” – Mary Ann
  • “It's the fastest and easiest way to get around the city, especially the CBD and Quarter!” – Frank
  • “I've been loving the Blue Bikes! My husband and I use them … We love the flexibility of biking around without the commitment of having to bike home if it gets too late or starts raining.” – Adrienne

     

Blue Bikes will celebrate its first birthday with a rider meetup at Treo, 3835 Tulane Ave., from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. Riders who have individually logged 1,000 miles or more on Blue Bikes in its first year will be recognized at the event.

There is no cost of admission, and refreshments will be provided. Blue Bikes staff and volunteers will be there to answer questions about the program and help people sign up. Riders are encouraged to bike to the event – a Blue Bikes drop zone and personal bike parking will be available. 

Blue Bikes offers several membership options: 

  • A Pay-As-You-Go rate of 10 cents per minute
  • A Monthly membership for $15 a month 
  • A University membership for $10 a month, open to students, faculty and staff of area colleges and universities
  • A Reduced Fare membership for $20 a year, available to anyone who already has a Louisiana Purchase card or who qualifies for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the state Medicaid program.

All Blue Bikes monthly or annual memberships give you an hour of ride time per day, which can be used in increments or all at once. Additional ride time is charged at 10 cents per minute. 

New riders can sign up for Blue Bikes at bluebikesnola.com or by downloading the Social Bicycles App from the Apple App Store or get it on Google Play. You will need to enter a valid credit card when signing up.

There is a one-time $5 sign-up fee for new pay-as-you-go riders, which is charged up front. After that, riders will only be billed 10 cents per minute for their Blue Bikes trips.

For riders who qualify for the Reduced Fare membership, Blue Bikes has added a Pay Near Me option to pay in cash at participating locations. At this time, those locations are 7 Elevens, Family Dollar stores and CVS pharmacies. Visit www.bluebikesnola.com for more information on using Pay Near Me.

Remember to always lock Blue Bikes within the system area to avoid additional fees. Find an updated map of the system area at bluebikesnola.com or the Social Bicycles app.

For more information on Blue Bikes memberships, the system map or to sign up, visit bluebikesnola.com. Riders can also follow Blue Bikes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

About Blue Bikes
Blue Bikes is a fast, convenient and affordable transportation system for residents and visitors to move around New Orleans. The bike share program is a partnership among the City of New Orleans, Social Bicycles and title sponsor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Sign up to ride at bluebikesnola.com. 

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. We invest both time and money in the communities we serve, supporting the health and wellbeing of Louisianians through more than 200 charitable organizations.

With our subsidiaries, HMO Louisiana and Southern National Life, we provide group and individual health insurance plans, life and disability insurance, group voluntary products and administrative services to one out of four Louisiana residents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana also provides Medicare supplement and Medicare Advantage plans and is a partner in offering the Healthy Blue Medicaid Managed care plan. Louisiana is the only state where we operate, with offices in every major region to serve our customers.

Founded in New Orleans in 1934, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a tax-paying non-profit health insurer. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

To learn more, visit our website at www.bcbsla.com.