Effects of COVID-19 on Bikeshare (Docked and Dockless) and E-scooter Operations
Updated 07/10/2023 with revised dockless bikeshare data
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS) interactive bikeshare and e-scooter map shows the effects of COVID-19 on bikeshare (docked and dockless) and e-scooter systems in from January to December 2020. Many systems temporarily suspended operations or delayed seasonal opening. Several systems closed due to budgetary issues and no longer serve the area. Click to view the changes by month. A summary of system changes from March to December 2020 is presented below the map. From March to December, 78 systems closed and 132 suspended operations. 59 of 166 cities with service in March 2020 lost service by August 2020. An additional three cities lost service between August and December 2020.
March through December 2020 System Changes
At the beginning of March 2020, a total of 102 docked bikeshare systems, 33 dockless bikeshare systems, and 214 e-scooter systems served one or more cities in the U.S. This includes systems still closed for the winter season.
During March through December 2020, many bikeshare (docked and dockless) and e-scooter systems closed temporarily in response to COVID-19 and some systems closed permanently.
In summary,
- 33 percent (34 systems) of docked bikeshare systems closed permanently and 15 percent (15 systems) suspended operations while the remaining 52 percent (53 systems) remained open throughout March to December 2020.
- 50 percent (17 systems) of dockless bikeshare systems closed permanently and 24 percent (8 systems) suspended operations while the remaining 26 percent (9 systems) remained open throughout March to December 2020.
- 13 percent (27 systems) of e-scooter systems closed permanently and 51 percent (109 systems) suspended operations while the remaining 36 percent (78 systems) remained open throughout March to December 2020.
Suspended systems closed for all of or a period of time during March through December 2020. Systems that suspended operations and then closed included in suspended count and excluded from closed count.
Systems that Suspended Operations
A total of 15 docked bikeshare systems, 8 dockless bikeshare systems, and 109 e-scooter systems suspended operations for a period of time during March through August 2020. More than half of the systems re-opened by August 2020, while the other half remain suspended or closed permanently. A greater share of e-scooter systems re-opened by August than bikeshare systems.
By December 2020, several systems that remained suspended in August reopened:
- 1 dockless bikeshare systems and
- 11 e-scooter systems.
However, several systems that had suspended operations closed between August and December 2020:
- 3 docked bikeshare systems,
- 1 dockless bikeshare system, and
- 6 e-scooter systems.
These counts include systems that left cities after their permit expired.
System Changes By City
At the beginning of March 2020, 166 cities had a bikeshare (docked or dockless) and/or e-scooter system. As of August 2020, 59 of the 166 cities (36 percent) no longer have a bikeshare or e-scooter system. In these 59 cities, the bikeshare and/or e-scooter system remains suspended or closed permanently.
Of the cities that lost bikeshare and/or e-scooter service between March and August 2020, none re-gained service. An additional three cities lost bikeshare and/or e-scooter service between August and December 2020.
While many cities lost service, a few cities gained service in 2020. Between March and August 2020, eight cities that did not have bikeshare or e-scooter service gained service. Between August and December 2020, an additional two cities gained bikeshare or e-scooter services.
Systems that serve more than one city, such as Capital Bikeshare (Washington, DC) counted only once. During March through August 2020, the systems serving some cities changed. Counts are for the number of closed and suspended systems and not for a particular system. For example, if 3 systems were suspended in March and then 4 different systems replaced these in May, 3 systems counted as suspended in April and 0 in May. Any new system not counted in closures or re-openings but included in cities served. Systems that left a city because their permit expired are included in closed counts.
System changes for 2020 available in the Bikeshare and E-Scooter System Changes by Month and System Status dataset. For data for prior years, see the Interactive Bikeshare and E-scooter Map, which shows, by city, the name of the bikeshare (docked or dockless) and/or e-scooter system serving it for every year from 2015.
For information on docked bikeshare ridership in 2020, see the effects of COVID-19 on docked bikeshare ridership.
For any questions or comments, please contact Theresa Firestine.
