Bluebikes prices increased slightly this week as the company expanded its bike-share network under a new five-year contract, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council said.
The contract involving Bluebikes, Lyft, and 13 participating municipalities plans to introduce more than 200 new and replacement stations as well as more electric bikes, the council said.
The first 100 new e-bikes are rolling out in April, Mayor Michelle Wu said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
“Over the past two years, we’ve invested in a 40 percent expansion of the Bluebikes network across Boston,” Wu said. “This reflects the growing demand for public transportation by bike and responds to feedback from residents calling for expanded mobility options. This new contract delivers what riders need: enhanced access and service, upgraded stations, and greater availability of e-bikes.”
To support the expansion, prices have increased for non-members, while membership rates remain unchanged.
For non-members, the per-minute rate for e-bikes has risen from 25 cents to 33 cents, while the unlock fee for a trip up to 30 minutes has gone up by 5 cents to $3.
The price of a day pass with unlimited rides is now $11.99 instead of $10.
Bluebikes will also lead regional road safety efforts through a new safety and education initiative, the council said. This includes a commitment to more than 60 community events annually and quarterly bike education classes.
“Bluebikes ridership has increased by 35 percent since 2021,” said Lizzi Weyant, the council’s executive director. “As the number of bikes and stations increase and expand into new municipalities, we’re hoping to achieve 9 million annual trips by 2031.”
Hannah Goeke can be reached at hannah.goeke@globe.com.