LA bike-share expanding Monday to walk-up renters

If you’ve been wanting to try out downtown Los Angeles’ new bike-share system, but you didn’t want to buy a pass, you’ll get the chance starting Monday when the program opens to walk-up users.

But while bike-share access is expanding, some communities are better served than others. 

A new report from the Urban Sustainability Directors Network shows that most bike-share systems around the country aren’t accessible to some of the people who need them most – low-income communities of color who rely more heavily on public transit. 

Phil Washington, Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO, said he wants things to be different in Los Angeles County.

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"We don’t want to just limit this to tourists. You know, this first-last mile, and just normal day-to-day, that’s what we’re trying to do. We want to create mobility options," he told KPCC.

Bike-share systems allow users to check out a bike, ride a short distance and then drop it off. That makes it easier to get around without a car because it bridges the so-called "last mile" gap between a person’s home or work and public transit.

Metro is giving out 40,000 discount passes in low-income neighborhoods to allow users to rent bikes for half the usual price.

Officials are also discussing a permanent low-income discount for the bikes, just as the agency has for regular transit tickets on trains and buses.

The walk-up rentals will go for $3.50 for the first 30 minutes or less and $3.50 for each 30 minutes that follow. But through Oct. 1, Metro is offering a discount to $1.75 per half hour to encourage tryouts. A map of pickup locations is available on the Metro website.

Designed largely for tourists and visitors, the walk-up pricing also gives those who want to try out the bikes a chance for a short trip.

Monthly passes at $20 a month and flex passes at $40 a year, both of which can be tied to riders' TAP cards, are also available. 

The bike-share program is set to expand next to Pasadena, then other areas of the county in future years.

Washington said Metro does seek to serve more transit-dependent neighborhoods when expanding access to bike-share.

This story has been updated.

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