Free Bluebike Passes Available in May For Host Community Residents

SALEM, MA — Residents in one of the 13 Bluebikes host cities and towns — including Arlington, Brookline, Malden, Medford, Newton, Salem and Somerville — will have a chance to take a free ride with a friend each Sunday throughout May.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is offering the "Miles for Mental Health" initiative that will give two complimentary passes to residents of those communities, with the 10 riders covering the most miles during the month winning a free annual membership to the municipal bike-sharing program.

The program begins on May 7 and includes the cities and towns listed above, as well as Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Revere and Watertown.

"At Blue Cross, we're excited that our Bluebikes sponsorship can help members of our community improve both their mental and physical health," said Blue Cross VP of Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs Jeff Bellows said. "We hope as many people as possible will take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy the outdoors on a Bluebikes and experience the whole-body wellness benefits of exercise."

Riders can get two passes for unlimited two-hour rides each Sunday. They can register for the passes by downloading the Bluebikes App on a mobile device and selecting "Adventure Pass."

Once registered, riders will receive a unique free ride code every Sunday in May to share with a friend or family member. Riders can also track how many miles they travel during the month in the Bluebikes app, and the top 10 riders who record the most miles between May 1 and May 31 will receive the free annual Bluebikes memberships.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)