Bikeshare Hawaii

Bikeshare Hawaii, widely known for launching Honolulu’s Biki bikeshare program, is a non-profit organization that was established in 2014 under a public-private partnership. Bikeshare Hawaii’s mission is to enhance community health and viability by strengthening the public transportation system and offering people a way to get to all of the places they work and play. Community benefits, as reported in Bikeshare Hawaii’s 2020 report, include saving money, discovering or visiting a new business, exercising more often, weight loss, and connecting to other public transit. The primary benefit, especially to local residents, is weight loss associated with exercise from bicycling. Bikeshare Hawaii’s executive director and STCH advisory board member Todd Boulanger explained how using bikeshare for transportation can provide health benefits. “Incorporating exercise into your daily tasks, like travel, is the best way to make it part of your lifestyle”. 

Like many other businesses and organizations, Bikeshare Hawaii faced challenges adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Total riders per month dropped significantly from 2019 to 2020. However, Biki was deemed an essential service, so Biki did not reduce their services like 45% of bikeshare systems in the U.S. did. Some stations were relocated during this time to better meet the needs of customers, primarily Hawaii residents. In 2020, 80% of total rides were from residents compared to 69% in 2019. Based on customer surveys, the percent of riders that were using Biki for exercise increased by 23%. Even during the pandemic, there were 7,300 new member enrollments, and Bikeshare Hawaii continued to offer important benefits for Urban Honolulu.

Read more about Bikeshare Hawaii's work in providing an alternative mode of transportation in Honolulu.