E-Scooters, Bikeshare Are Here To Stay In Newark, Mayor Says

NEWARK, NJ — An e-scooter and bicycle share program in New Jersey’s largest city has hit a big milestone, Newark officials announced Monday: a million rides.

That’s the number of trips that people have taken in the Brick City since its first-ever shared e-scooter and bike program launched in 2021. Officials said the program – dubbed “NewarkGo” – has attracted nearly 75,000 individual riders.

The two operating companies, Bird Rides and Veoride, have provided an estimated 2,000 affordable scooters and bicycles as part of the program.

In celebration of the milestone, Bird and Veo are offering 500 promo codes “RideNWK” for residents to receive a $5 ride credit on their apps. The promotion will begin on May 22 and last until May 29, or until all codes are redeemed.

According to Mayor Ras Baraka, there are plans to carve out a permanent place for shared e-scooters and bicycles in the city. He touted improvements in traffic and parking – as well as air quality – that have come with the vehicles.

“Newark has been on the receiving end of environmental injustice for decades, but we are taking matters into our own hands with Earth-friendly, forward-thinking solutions,” Baraka said.

As the pilot program unfolded, Bird and Veo each provided up to 1,000 e-scooters and bikes to residents in every neighborhood. Built on the best practices developed in cities across the country, the pilot program served as many as 3,500 rides per day during the peak season, and in addition to downtown, saw some of its highest ridership in the Ironbound, University Heights and Lincoln Park neighborhoods.

City officials said that other highlights of the pilot program included:

• “More than 135 participants and 14,300 rides taken by residents qualifying for discounted ride options”
• “Nearly 40 outreach events held by Bird and Veo with more than 40 local partners, including 1,300 free helmets distributed”
• “A broad majority of residents supporting continuing the scooter and bike share program in a recent citywide survey”

According to Veo’s 2023 rider survey, 61 percent of Newark riders don’t own or have access to a car, showing how the program is meeting the community’s demand for “affordable, sustainable travel options.”

Newark ranked among the top ten U.S. cities for trips taken per resident according to the city’s data management partner on the program, RideReport, ahead of Sacramento, San Francisco and other larger cities across the country.

With the pilot scheduled to end this October, Baraka said he is working with the municipal council on an ordinance to provide residents with “uninterrupted access” to shared e-scooters and bikes in the city.

The permanent program would build on the success of the pilot and include additional advancements such as enhanced safety education for riders, potential funding for the installing of bike racks and vehicle docks, and other technology and infrastructure upgrades. The Baraka administration said it plans to issue a new call for operators this summer and have a permanent program in place later this fall.

Newarkers can find additional data about the program on this public dashboard provided by RideReport. More information about the program, including how to rent and safely ride e-scooters and bikes, the corrals, and public education and outreach can be found on the Bird and Veo apps.

“This milestone marks the turning point from a successful pilot to a permanent part of Newark’s transportation mix,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, the former New York City Department of Transportation commissioner who launched Citi Bike, the nation’s largest bike share program in 2013.

The NewarkGo program is overseen by the Department of Engineering, and was developed through collaboration with the Department of Economic and Housing Development with guidance from Bloomberg Associates, the pro bono consultancy of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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