Bike Share Toronto

Bike Share Toronto launched in 2011 as BIXI Toronto, The City decided to cover the loan by diverting money from an automated public-toilets program. The City then took control of the bike-share program, and April 1, 2014, the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) took control of the system, and renamed it to Bike Share Toronto. The new operator of the system was Alta Bicycle Share (now Motivate). A planned expansion of 22 stations for the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games was abandoned. The original stations operated on a hybrid platform; software was supplied by 8D and hardware came from PBSC. Later, each company developed its own full system of hardware and software, no longer supporting integration of components with other vendors. As a result, all existing stations would have to be replaced or retrofitted. System expansion The first expansion launched in June 2016, with $4.9 million in funding provided by Metrolinx and $1.1 million in Section 37 funds. The expansion added 120 stations and 1,000 bikes, for a total of 2,000 bicycles and 200 stations. The TPA chose PBSC as the supplier of the new bicycles and stations. As part of the agreement, PBSC would also retrofit the existing stations to be compatible with the new stations. On April 1, 2017, the TPA transitioned the day-to-day operation of Bike Share Toronto to Shift Transit, a PBSC partner company, while maintaining ownership of the system. A further expansion of the system took place in August 2017, with the system expanding to 270 stations, 2,750 bikes and 4,700 docks, with $4 million in expansion funding from the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto. The August 2018 expansion expanded the station to 360 stations, 3,750 bikes, and 6,200 docks. By the end of 2019, 105 new stations and 1,250 more bikes had been added to the system in 2019, with a corresponding increase in ridership to over 2.4 million. This expansion would also add 300 e-bikes to the system, allowing easier journeys in hilly parts of the city and speeding up long-distance journeys. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and consequential stay-at-home orders, ridership grew by 20%, with records being set for both the busiest day and the busiest weekend on the system. In 2021, ridership again grew by 20% to 3.5 million, Overall, ridership grew by 31% in 2022, to 4.6 million. Ridership Ridership is measured in the number of trips taken. A trip is counted whenever a bicycle is undocked and re-docked. Longer commutes may be counted as multiple trips, in part due to memberships encouraging shorter individual trips. == Payment and Pricing ==

Payment can done via a payment kiosk installed at each station, by key card at each dock, through their mobile app, or through their mobile website. As of 2026, the primary mode of payment is via the mobile app and website. Many stations no longer have payment kiosks.| Riders who have no membership or pass must pay a $1 unlock fee. After which, they will be charged a fee based on duration of use. The fees are $0.12/min for a classic bicycle and $0.20/min for an e-bike. A 24-hour pass may also be purchased for $15, which allows for unlimited 90 minute rides on classic bikes. Annual memberships are also available. There are two tiers, the Annual 30 which allows for unlimited 30 minute trips at $105/year, and the Annual 45 which allows for unlimited 45 minute trips at $120/year. Both tiers only provide unlimited trips on classic bicycles, but halves the rates of e-bikes to $0.10/min. Exceeding the duration limit will incur overage fees. These fees are priced at the normal rates the riders pay for classic and e-bike usage. It is recommended that riders dock and undock another bike often to reset this duration. Reduced Fare Pass Program Subsidized Toronto Community Housing tenants are eligible for the Annual 30 plan for a reduced price of $5, while market rate tenants are eligible for a 20% discount off annual membership rates. Ontario Disability Support Program recipients may qualify for annual memberships, where the e-bike per-minute fee is reduced to 0. Corporate and Student Discounts Employees of registered companies or students and faculty members from registered schools can receive a 20% discount to their membership rates. ==Bikes==

The bicycles are utility bicycles; they have a step-through frame with an upright seating position. They are equipped with internal hub gears, drum brakes, fenders, chain guard, generator lights, and a front rack. The conventional bikes are PBSC's "Iconic" model. Starting in 2020, PBSC's "E-fit" e-bikes were introduced into the system through a pilot project. All the bikes have been configured with three-speed hubs. The e-bike rollout started with 300 pedal-assist electronic bikes. In 2025, 500 more e-bikes were added. "Next Generation Astro" e-bikes were introduced into the system in 2026. These bikes are single speed, with 24" wheels. They include phone holders, and a new basket design. ==Mobile apps==

A mobile app can be used to rent bikes, instead of using the payment kiosk at stations. Until 2024, the officially-recommended mobile app was the "PBSC" app (formerly named "CycleFinder"). A competing app, called Transit, also works. In 2024, Bike Share Toronto announced a new official app, simply titled "Bike Share Toronto," developed by Lyft Urban Solutions. The app includes a map of Toronto's bike lane network, along with filters for showing which stations have bikes, electric bikes, and docks available. It also includes a page where riders can view their past rides and ridership stats. {{cite web |title=INTRODUCING BIKE SHARE TORONTO'S NEW MOBILE APP ==Sponsorship and Promotions==

Between late 2014 and 2016, TD Canada Trust sponsored Toronto Bike Share, covering "all operating costs" at a cost of $750,000 a year. This sponsorship was not renewed. In 2020, the TPA signed a 3-year deal with Bell Media (Astral) for advertising rights at stations. Free Ride Wednesdays In June 2017, Toronto Mayor John Tory announced a "Free Ride Wednesdays" program, which allowed anyone to take free trips of up to 30 minutes on every Wednesday in July 2017. There were no limits to the number of trips per day. Fees applied only if any one single trip exceeded 30 minutes. Free Ride Wednesdays were also held in June 2018 and August 2019. Afterwards, Bike Share Toronto signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with CAA in order to cover future Free Ride Wednesdays. ==See also==