Vail, EagleVail and Avon join in e-bike sharing program
System rolls out this summer for short trips
The towns of Vail and Avon, along with the EagleVail Metro District, have announced that Drop Mobility has been selected as the vendor to provide e-assist bikes and software for the launch of an electric bike share system rolling out this summer called Shift Bike.
The bike share system is designed to help local residents and employees shift their ride — away from car trips and on to electric bikes for short trips and daily commutes.
The Shift Bike system includes a fleet of 90 e-bikes and 20 hub stations through the three communities and launches with a ribbon cutting event at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 7 at the Vail Public Library. Complimentary burritos will be available on a first come, first served basis.
“We are thrilled to be partners with Vail and EagleVail in the first regional e-bikeshare program in the valley,” Avon Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes said. “Avon operated a local bike share program from 2017 to 2019. This regional e-bike share program will expand the accessible area and increase options for our residents and visitors. Our residents and visitors will be able to ride to Vail hardly breaking a sweat. Additionally, enhancing micro-mobility transportation is a key strategy to building a sustainable transportation system by closing the gap on first- and last-mile concerns for transit users.”
Vail Mayor Kim Langmaid added that, “transportation is the leading contributor to greenhouse gasses in Eagle County, and the regional Shift Bike share system is a great strategy to reduce transportation-related emissions to help achieve climate action goals of reducing emissions 25% by 2025, 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. Micro-mobility solutions such as this e-bike share program are one of many transportation opportunities to increase sustainable mobility options in Vail and our broader Eagle County community.”
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The towns of Vail, Avon and EagleVail and Drop Mobility have designed the bike share system, including selecting hub locations with the help and input of the community, and designing pricing to compliment local bike rentals and not directly compete with their rental programs.
For more information on the program, contact Beth Markham, town of Vail environmental sustainability coordinator, at 970-479-2333 or bmarkham@vailgov.com, Jim Shoun at the town of Avon at jshoun@avon.org, or Steven Barber, EagleVail Metro District Manager. sbarber@eaglevail.org.
