Bloomin' BikeShare. Image by Aimee Custis licensed under Creative Commons.

Increasing spring temperatures have brought a surge in Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) trips across the region. The bikesharing network recorded 490,265 rides in April, an increase of 26.0% from April 2023. April’s CaBi ridership is the second busiest month on record, missing the milestone set in October 2023 by less than 1,000 rides.

Data from Capital BikeShare. Image by the author.

CaBi members have consistently represented the majority of rides across the network. April was no exception, with 64.3% of riders holding an annual membership. E-bikes consistently maintain a significant presence, accounting for 46.9% of all rides in April.

Data from Capital BikeShare. Image by the author.

While the majority of April’s rides were taken by members, this is a slight decrease in the overall ridership share from usual. For instance, January’s write-up noted that 74% of all rides were by members. This shift may signal more people trying out the system for the first time as the weather warms. Among new riders was Tom Roussey, transportation reporter for ABC7, who recounted his experience on the system in a post on X:

CaBi members have the chance to earn “Bike Angel” points when they dock their bikes at a station with a low supply. These points unlock different achievements in the app, creating incentives for members to assist in balancing bike supply across the network. CaBi member and ANC 1B09 Commissioner Tucker Jones shared his latest milestone in a post on X, seen below:

Each month, the Bikeshare Beat awards superlatives to interesting finds in the month’s data. Notably, in April, 18,259 trips ended at the 20 CaBi stations on or within one block of Connecticut Avenue NW, a hint that the street serves as more than just an auto-artery into the District. Check out this and more in this month’s Pedal Medals below:

Extraordinary Services to Active Transportation. Image by the author.

What did we miss? Reach out to editor@ggwash.org and let us know what you’d like to see in our monthly breakdowns, ideas for the future of CaBi, missed pun opportunities, or lighthearted Pedal Medals to award.

Since its inception in September 2010, Capital BikeShare has moved millions of riders around the Greater Washington metro area and is an affordable and efficient mode of transportation for residents and tourists alike. CaBi publishes its system data online each month, providing insights into ridership for the month prior and highlighting the rapid growth in user engagement around the city. All dissemination of this information by Greater Greater Washington is in good-faith compliance with the Capital Bikeshare Data License Agreement.

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Tagged: bicycling, bikeshare, dc, maryland, northern virginia, virginia

Samuel Littauer is a resident of the Woodley Park neighborhood in Washington, DC, and is endlessly curious about the way people engage with their natural and built environments. He is passionate about environmental protection, transit, urban planning, community development, and pestering his pals into moving to the District.