Salem Bike Share Gets A Push From Blue Cross

From The City of Salem: The City of Salem’s Zagster Bike Share program is about to get bigger, thanks to additional support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. The current system of fifty bikes at ten docks is funded through a partnership among Blue Cross, Salem State University, and the City of Salem. Increased funding from Blue Cross will add dozens of additional bikes to the system beginning spring 2019.

“Blue Cross’s increased commitment builds on our bike share’s success,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “With over 9,500 rides to date, the system helps make biking a safe, fun, and convenient way to get around Salem. Blue Cross’s additional support will increase the bike share’s reach and capacity, making it a viable transportation option for even more people in Salem and further helping to reduce the number of cars on our streets.”

Bike share docks are located at key destinations throughout Salem, such as the MBTA commuter rail station, Salem State University, Salem Willows, and the ferry terminal at Blaney Street. Zagster regularly rebalances the bikes throughout the system to ensure bikes are available at these locations. In addition, riders may also start and end a ride at any public bike rack. To support this feature, the City is installing additional public racks at convenient locations throughout the City, including a number of blue racks sponsored by Blue Cross.

“We’re excited to expand our partnership with the City of Salem to provide additional bikes and public racks for the bike share program,” Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts CEO Andrew Dreyfus remarked. “At Blue Cross, we believe in helping individuals and families eat healthier, get more active, and access safe and healthy environments. We hope this will encourage new riders to take advantage of the program and address the growing interest in biking as a fun and healthy way to get around.”

The expansion of the bike share system comes at a time of great momentum for cycling in Salem. The City recently cut the ribbon on the first phase of the Mayor Anthony Salvo Multiuse Path along Canal Street. When Phase II is completed, it will connect downtown to Salem State, downtown Marblehead, and beyond. In addition, the City has completed an updated Bike Master Plan that charts the development of a comprehensive network of bike infrastructure, programs, and policies to support cycling.

Riders can sign up for Zagster at zagster.com/salem or through the Zagster smartphone app. To begin a ride, follow Zagster’s instructions to unlock a bike either through the app or with SMS text messaging.

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