No problem! Related to NYC public transit, it's sometimes tricky to keep track of who's responsible for what. And Gov Cuomo is masterful about taking credit for MTA's accomplishments while disclaiming responsibility for its shortfalls. I do tend to react ... critically ... when attribution gets confused.

[MENTION=370046]arbee[/MENTION], you said it (about Cuomo)!

Thanks for setting attributions straight. You're right that it's confusing!

Regardless of which budget each transportation comes from, there is only a finite amount total. For the Far Rockaway ferry, which cost $2.75 to the passenger, but its actual cost is closer to $30 is just appeasing to whatever constituents there. Its not like its a transit desert there, given that roughly the 1000 people that takes it per day use to take the subway to the city, now they just take the ferry because it is a more pleasant ride in the open waters.

It might sound good to have no subsidies for Citibike, but all that means is that they will only expand to areas where there will be high demand AND in close proximity to the city. They are not even entertaining the idea of expanding to areas farther away from manhattan where citibike could connect neighborhoods with their local downtowns.

Priority Bike Districts
Not sure how you get from one to the other,
wish it was contiguous...

Autumn 2019 expansion

Bushwick, East Williamsburg

That's progress!

I look at that map and note that it follows the L train through Brooklyn. Coincidence? I don't think so. But looking at the map, there are no stations past Myrtle except one final one out at Bushwick/Eastern Parkway/Highland Blvd. I wonder if that is correct?

What is coincidence is that I did a ride through there just last week, a 40 mile grand loop of Brooklyn.

[MENTION=13059]zacster[/MENTION], could you publish that route?

Brooklyn Loop

There. Let me know if you can't access it. If you want to do it some weekday let me know. I've retired and have lots of time on my hands.

Need more citibike or any sort of bikeshare in the outer part of outer boroughs, and not only in places that hizhoner deemed politically advantageous. I think those private dockless bikeshare are not going to expand anymore, given it is much cheaper and more profitable to drop off thousands of e-scooters in any new location than bikes.


Also, has anyone noticed the tires being low on pressure more frequently? I've been on many citibikes, some I noticed being sluggish, only after hitting some bumps, realizing tires are low on pressure. I don't remember how firm the tires should be until I rode a citibike in jersey city and felt how lively and jittery the ride was. Then back to the NYC citibikes, a few of them, I could feel the rear tires bottoming out when I jump the front tires to go up a curb. Is Lyft cutting back on maintenance? I would only assume so based on during my commute, the on the lack of bikes in the surrounding 6 or so stations when I need one and the lack of docks in destination's vicinity.

[MENTION=13059]zacster[/MENTION], I will let you know. I have afternoon classes nowadays, so I don't have a whole day for a ride. Thanks!

[MENTION=458351]tubesocksFred[/MENTION], Citi Bike is not run by the city. You can say a lot of bad things about the mayor and be right, but these decisions are not on his shoulders. I did have a bike today with a rear tire that seemed a bit soft, but I was grateful for it. It wasn't too low to ride.

hizhonor refuses to spend one penny on bike share, so it is up to where Motivate and now Lyft thinks there will be the most riders. If that's how they promote alternatives to driving, then we would end up with transit deserts in much of the outer borough. New York Waterway is not run by the city either, but a hell lot of money is being put in to buy boats that serves routes that already are being served by the subway.

I made a terrible mistake with my grand loop of Brooklyn. It actually went into Queens, the horror. The section through Highland Park is actually across the border. Also, when I did the ride I used Wyckoff instead of Knickerbocker as on my route map, and one side of Wyckoff is also in Queens for a stretch.

You used to be able to distinguish between Brooklyn and Queens by the color of the street signs but these were replaced a while ago. The other way to tell is by the house numbering. Queens uses a dash (39-01) whereas Brooklyn does not (3901) , but at the border even this isn't followed closely.

Yes, but not recently. I think your caution is prudent.

What you describe was chronic — nay, typical — when Citibike started and was run by Alta. More often than not, the hardware and the early software failed to properly register that a bike was returned and docked. My practice was to obtain a printed receipt at the docking station where I returned a bike — this was possible — and I frequently had to close out a trip by a fone call.

Motivate upgraded the software after they took over from Alta. Maybe there's a ghost in the machinery. It is the day after Halloween.

I've had that happen to me not too long ago, around the time Lyft took over the operation. I noticed I didn't get an email after I docked the bike, but by the time I verified with the app, I was across the river already. I called citibike (which doesn't publish their number openly anymore) and they said the station was offline and they will mark my bike as docked as of the time I placed the call and zero out whatever overage I have accrued. Around 30 min later, the station went online and I got a bike docked notificatiton email.

The spokesperson told me I should have used the app. I used the key fob.
The funny thing is, I just upgraded my iPhone last week; the iPhone 5 I had before would Not do any apps (on account of its obsolescence). I was standing on a street corner thinking “should I download the app now?” , and I decided it would be better to do that after I get home.

Just got an email from Citibike

Ebikes will return this winter.

Ebikes will be back on the streets of NYC this winter. While we hoped to have them back this fall, we needed the extra time to prepare the new bikes and complete safety testing. We’ve also lowered ebike pricing with your feedback in mind.

Thanks for your patience while we work to continuously improve the Citi Bike®️ system with new stations, more bikes, and better pricing.

LEARN MORE

Lower ebike prices

We’re replacing previously announced pricing — a $2 charge on every ebike ride — to better reflect riders’ needs and our true costs.

• Annual Members will pay a $0.10/minute ebike charge.
• Members’ ebike charges will be capped at $2 for rides 45 minutes or less beginning and/or ending outside Manhattan.
• Two minute wait time removed to make it easy to swap from ebike to classic bike (and vice versa).
• Non-Members will pay a $0.15/minute ebike charge.
• Reduced Fare Bike Share Members will pay a $0.05/minute ebike charge.

Extra time fee changes

Starting January 15, we’re updating extra time fees — currently $2.50 every 15 minutes — for Annual Members and Single Ride riders. The new, per-minute model will save riders money by only charging them for the time they use.

• Annual Member fees will be $0.15/minute after the included 45 minutes.
• Single Ride fees will be $0.15/minute after the included 30 minutes.

So the e-bike fee for members could be as much as $4.50 a ride, which is more than the previous rate of $2 flat fee. Doesn't matter for me, since I eschews the e-bikes so I can get a bit of exercise.

The two minute wait time has been removed a long time ago, albeit silently and without any fanfare.

The change of overage charge to per minute basis is good for me, since sometimes, due to headwind or performance reason, I would miss my destination by a minute or two. Now instead of being charged $2.50 for being a minute late, I would just be charged 15 cents.

I may have read it wrong, but I thought it said that annual members pay a maximum of $2 per ride for an e-bike.

The maximum charge for the ebike would be $2

Not quite correct. There are two qualifiers for that cap to apply:

• 45 minutes or less
• Ride must begin or end OUTSIDE MANHATTAN

So basically it's $2 for a bridge commute into or out of Manhattan, but potentially more for trips within the island.

That has some folks upset, but I'm not sure I agree - I think it covers where the assist bikes make sense, while charging more for where they don't.

Pedaling a bike has health benefits, so that makes sense as public policy even if it isn't the most efficient way to move the population around.

But if we're going to move people around the city with electric motors, in areas with good coverage the subway's electric motors are probably better public policy than individual e-vehicles, even if those vehicles are bike-sized. Especially as long as charging requires staff to catch up to the bike at a dock, it really doesn't seem like these can compete with the subway, except where the subway is overloaded or doesn't go.

I saw a new station near the Prospect Park Q/B station. I'd have used that one when riding home from work, except that I've retired. I'm a few stops beyond and could take the train the last bit.

The longest commute rides I used to do on a citibke were 6 mile 40 minute rides within manhattan. It was actually shorter than the walk to and from the subway + time on the trains with transfers between lines. My return home after a 14 hour day was usually by taxi if I could find one and cost around $34 with tip. If there were electic assist citbikes back then I would have gladly taken one instead of the cab and save a ton of cash. Fatique after a long day discouraged me from riding the six miles back.