Red Bike has secured enough financial support to keep operating for the next three years.
The bike share program opened 11 years ago. It had to shut down for the first few months of 2024 because of a critical funding shortfall, after longtime sponsor UC Health withdrew support.
A coalition of public and private entities raised enough one-time support to reopen the bike share program, but long-term funding was uncertain, until now.
"This plan is more than a means of survival, it is a commitment," said Red Bike Director Doug McClintock. "A commitment to our riders, to our communities, and to a future where everyone, regardless of income or zip code, has access to affordable, sustainable transportation."
Red Bike offers daily, monthly, and annual passes. The Go Program also offers discounted rates to low-income individuals; that program has grown significantly in the past couple of years.
McClintock says the original bike share model assumed it could be financially self-sustainable through rental fees and sponsorship.
"What, unfortunately, we've learned is that this is a public service, and it requires public investment and community investment," he said.
Funding partners have committed to annual support for the next three years:
- City of Cincinnati: $125,000
- Metro: $125,000
- Northern Kentucky partners: $75,000
- Interact for Health: $25,000
- P&G: $50,000
- United Way: $25,000
- Greater Cincinnati Foundation: $25,000
"Accessibility to the rich amenities that exist on both sides of the river is such a key ingredient to the quality of life for those of us who live here, and certainly for the experience of those who might visit from other places and hopefully move here," said Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Gene Kirchner.
The city's commitment will require an annual vote of City Council during each budget cycle, starting with fiscal year 2026 (which must be approved by June 30 for a budget starting July 1). Council promising the funds.
Council member Mark Jeffreys has championed the Red Bike cause at City Hall.
"[Red Bike] is a symbol of a vibrant, growing region, and the broad based support shows how important it is for this region. It's also a model for what regional collaboration really looks like," Jeffreys said.
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