Smart City USA 2025: Lyft Urban Solutions shares an inside look at Citi Bike NYC

Lyft Urban Solutions proudly participated in this year's Smart City Expo USA, held in none other than New York City, home to Citi Bike, North America's largest and most iconic bikeshare system. Taking place on April 2-3, the event brought together innovators, policymakers, and urban mobility experts for two days of insightful discussions, cutting-edge solutions, and bold visions for smarter cities.

Lyft Urban Solutions made its mark through a compelling fireside chat on "Leading the Pack: How Citi Bike Stays Agile at Scale." Featuring Patrick Knoth, General Manager of Citi Bike, and Miller Nuttle, Director of Public Policy at Lyft Urban Solutions, the session offered a behind-the-scenes look into the challenges and innovations that come with running a bikeshare system at such an extraordinary scale, and how Citi Bike continues to adapt and thrive in one of the world’s most dynamic urban landscapes.

Citi Bike in numbers

Twelve years after its inaugural ride, Citi Bike stands as a global benchmark in bikeshare innovation. With over 2,200 stations and over 35,000 bikes, including 14,000+ ebikes, the system now reaches 60% of New York City’s population, serving a wide and diverse rider community. In 2024, Citi Bike counted 1.6 million active riders, among them:

• 42% identify as women
• 51% are members of a community of color
• 19% are part of the LGBTQ+ community

Citi Bike programs designed for income-qualified riders have seen a 42% increase in ridership since 2022, reinforcing the role of bikeshare in building more accessibility in transportation.

2024 was a standout year for Citi Bike, with record-breaking ridership every single month compared to the previous year. The system had over 45 million trips in 2024, and October alone saw more than 5.2 million trips, the highest monthly total in the system’s history. Citi Bike broke daily ridership records 11 times, a clear sign of the growing demand for accessible and sustainable transportation in New York City.

Scaling through electrification

A major driver behind this growing success is the deployment of electric bikes. In 2024, ebikes accounted for 66% of all Citi Bike’s trips despite making up just 40% of the total fleet. On average, each ebike generated three times as many trips per day as a pedal bike, highlighting their central role in expanding the system’s reach and appeal.

But beyond convenience and ridership growth, electrification is reshaping the future of bikeshare operations. During the panel, Miller and Patrick showcased how Citi Bike is leveraging electrification not just in its bike fleet, but across its station network. Currently, Citi Bike ebikes rely on a manual battery swapping operation where associates drive across the city to swap out depleted batteries for fully charged ones. By equipping the highest-ridership docking stations with charging capabilities, Citi Bike could reduce up to 90% of the vehicle miles traveled for battery swaps, and with it, a significant portion of CO₂ emissions.

This shift toward a more electrified system is paving the way for smoother operations, greater ebike availability, reduced vehicle emissions, and ultimately, a more seamless, sustainable, and reliable experience for riders.

Building connections that matter

Citi Bike is about more than just getting from point A to point B — it’s about connection. In 2024, 85% of riders used Citi Bike in combination with public transit, creating a seamless multimodal network that strengthened mobility across the city. For lower-income riders, 59% reported using Citi Bike and public transit together on a weekly basis, a striking indicator of how bikeshare serves as a crucial first-and-last-mile solution. 

That impact is made possible by a strong public-private collaboration. Lyft’s long-term partnership with the City of New York has enabled continued investment and innovation in Citi Bike. This includes a significant commitment to expanding the system’s footprint in underserved areas, reinforcing the city’s dedication to accessibility and equity, all while maintaining high service standards across a rapidly growing network.

Technology also plays its part: the Lyft Rideshare app has become a key entry point into Lyft-operated bikeshare systems, with 693,000 new riders taking their first trip via the platform in 2024 alone. 

A shared vision for smarter cities

Smart City Expo USA 2025 reaffirmed the importance of coming together to shape the future of urban mobility. This leading gathering plays a key role in advancing ideas, fostering collaboration, and aligning public and private stakeholders around the shared goal of building smarter, more sustainable cities.

Through the lens of Citi Bike, the discussion led by Miller Nuttle and Patrick Knoth offered a compelling vision of how bikeshare systems can scale while remaining reliable, accessible, and deeply integrated into the daily lives of the city’s residents.