Partnership between the City, Bicycle Transit Systems, and Independence Blue Cross has pedaled Philadelphia toward a greener, healthier, and more connected city 

PHILADELPHIA – Today, the Indego bike share program – a collaborative initiative led by owner City of Philadelphia, operator Bicycle Transit Systems, and title sponsor Independence Blue Cross (IBX) – marked its 10th anniversary of providing a convenient, sustainable, healthy, and fun option to navigate the city for residents and visitors, alike. 

“When I look back on Indego’s first decade, the amount of growth and expansion is the clearest sign this program has been an overwhelming success,” said Waffiyyah Murray, Indego Program Manager, Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS). “Indego has become an integral part of Philadelphia’s public transportation network and the I take pride in our prioritization of equity by investing in service throughout the city.”  

Following several years of planning, Indego launched with 60 stations and 600 bikes on April 23, 2015. There are now more than 250 stations and more than 2,200 bikes in circulation. Over the past decade, more than 500,000 riders have embraced Indego as an accessible, affordable, and active way to traverse the cityscape on their own schedule and at their own pace. 

“In its first ten years, Indego has become a vital part of the Philadelphia transportation ecosystem. IBX is incredibly proud of the amazing partnership with the City of Philadelphia and Bicycle Transit Systems, providing healthy, inclusive mobility to our communities,” said Greg Deavens, President and CEO, Independence Blue Cross. “As the future of transportation in Philadelphia continues to be debated, Indego stands as a collaborative solution that puts access and the well-being of the community first.” 

At a glance, the program has seen: 

  • 8,182,705 rides taken  
  • 20,115,416 miles travelled  
  • 804,616,636 calories burned  
  • 19,109,645 pounds of CO2 reduced  
  • 2,045,676 car trips replaced 

“It has been an honor and a privilege for Bicycle Transit Systems to serve as a partner to the City of Philadelphia and Independence Blue Cross to launch, operate, and grow Indego over the past decade,” said Kristin Gavin-Wisniewski, CEO, Bicycle Transit Systems. “This milestone, and collectively powering over 8 million trips, is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and community commitment to accessible, equitable transportation.” 

Indego ridership has increased steadily year-over-year since 2020, with total annual rides in 2023 eclipsing one million for the first time in the program’s history. This feat was exceeded in 2024 with a record 1.3 million rides. 

Since 2020, Indego’s overall ridership has grown by an average of 14 percent each year, reaching nearly 20 percent growth in both 2023 and 2024. Similarly, ridership among Indego’s ACCESS passholders – the discount program for Pennsylvania Medical Assistance (MA) recipients – has grown by an average of 17 percent each year, reaching 38 percent growth in 2022 and 25 percent growth in 2023. 

10th Anniversary Celebration Events 

Indego program and community partners participated in a celebration and press event at IBX headquarters on April 23. 

The public is encouraged to join in the festivities with a fun, slow-paced group bicycle ride through East Fairmount Park on Wednesday, April 30. The event will be hosted by Wednesday Night Rides, a bi-weekly social bike ride in Philadelphia. The group will roll out around 7 p.m. beginning and ending at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 

Registered participants can check out and ride an Indego bike at no cost. For more details, visit the event website here. 

Ahead of the official start of National Bike Month, Indego is offering early access to its Bike Month Promo pass. Starting today through May 31, riders can purchase a one-month pass for just $5 by using the code INDEPRO25. The Indego30, or monthly, pass includes unlimited one-hour rides on Indego classic bikes. Complete details are available on Indego’s 10th Birthday webpage. 

Expansion and Milestones 

In 2018, Indego expanded south adding stations and access to the Navy Yard, FDR Park, and connections to the southern terminus of SEPTA’s Broad Street Line (B) at the sports complex. This successful development spurred further growth for the system to serve neighborhoods in West Philadelphia, Manayunk, and along North Broad Street. 

During a four-month pilot program, Indego partners monitored the use of pedal-assisted electric bikes (e-bikes), which proved to be up to 10 times as popular as standard bikes. In May 2019, the bike share program rolled out 400 pedal-assisted e-bikes – costing an additional 15 cents (now 20-30 cents depending on pass type) per minute. 

The bike share program saw e-bike ridership surpass classic ridership for the first time with 580,446 e-bike rides and 504,101 classic rides in 2023. 

In early 2023, Indego released its first ever 5-Year Equity Plan, providing a look back on the best practices that the City and Indego have developed in addition to providing a roadmap for continued leadership in equitable bike share growth and operation. Since its launch, Indego has partnered with the Better Bike Share Partnership to understand the barriers behind utilization of bike share in low-income and communities of color. 

In June 2024, Indego celebrated a new single day record with 5,621 rides, which outshined the previous record of 5,386 set during the Papal Visit in 2015. Later in the summer, Indego announced the much-anticipated return of the Single Ride Pass, rejoining the existing 24-hour, monthly, and yearly ride passes. 

The bike share program’s 2025 expansion plan includes service to three new areas*, while continuing efforts in key zones from 2024. This year’s focus areas include: 

  • Cobbs Creek* 
  • Tioga/Rising Sun* 
  • Manayunk/Roxborough* 
  • City Avenue 
  • Kensington/Richmond 
  • Mill Creek/Parkside 
  • Kingsessing 

If Indego were categorized as a public transportation agency, it would be ranked 6th by ridership in Pennsylvania. 

Partners and Programs 

Wheels to Work – The benefits of Indego go beyond biking. Indego is currently running its fifth cohort of Wheels to Work, a free five-week training course for adult job seekers that combines workforce development training with learning about Indego and bicycling. Individuals who complete the program will receive a FREE six-month pass to Indego, free professional headshots, and a certificate of completion!    

Indego Community Advisory Council – The Indego Community Advisory Council (ICAC) was launched in 2023 and consists of new and long-standing community partners. ICAC members help advise the Indego team on current and upcoming programs and initiatives to help ensure Indego is meeting its stated goals for equity and access. This is a core foundation of our equity work, and the council has been key in helping us extend our reach throughout communities.  

Indego Community Ambassadors – Indego Community Ambassadors collaborate with Indego to offer residents valuable bike safety education resources. This role involves aiding individuals in recognizing safe riding spaces within their community, ultimately inspiring and encouraging them to utilize Indego for their rides. 

Indego Mini-Grants – Since 2016, Indego and the City of Philadelphia have offered Indego mini-grants to local community-based nonprofits to help support a variety of community-driven initiatives. Through the years, these have included coat drives, free produce boxes for families, school supplies, community and wellness events, and much more. 

For more information, please visit Indego’s website, specifically the Rider Resources page.

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