In a letter to the editor, Hoboken resident Kevin Davis explains why he feels that Hoboken’s Citi Bike program has been marred “unreasonable price increases.”
Dear Editor,
This May marks the three-year anniversary of Citi Bike coming to Hoboken. As a Citi Bike member that doesn’t own a car, I should celebrate this, but sadly Citi Bike users are getting gouged by unreasonable price increases.
Since 2021 when Citi Bike came over to Hoboken, inflation has hit consumers hard.
Nationally, median rents have increased 35.8%, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 15%, and gasoline prices are 59% higher. These increases aren’t nearly as high as the increases in Citi Bike prices over the last three years.
Citi Bike prices have gotten so out of control in Hoboken, that e-bike rides for non-members are occasionally more expensive than Uber rides.
In 2021, the non-member unlocking fee was $3, now it is $4.79 (59.7%). The e-bike per minute rate for members was $0.10 per minute, and now it is double at $0.20. For non-members, it was $0.15 per minute, and now it is double at $0.30.
If we want to encourage more people to abandon their cars for bikes, then we should be calling out Citi Bike for their unreasonable price increases.
Local bike advocates criticized NJ Transit when they raised fares 15% this year, but have been silent about Citi Bike.
When I brought this up to a bike leader last year, they told me that my priorities were off and that I should be focusing on opposing state legislation mandating helmet usage.
Citi Bike is a great program for the bike community, but their unreasonable price increases shouldn’t go unnoticed.
Kevin Davis
Hoboken resident
Paying more for everything. It is the “BIDEN ECONOMY”