MCDOT Extends Program with Capital Bikeshare and Lyft Electric Scooters for Free Trips for Essential Workers, Reduced Fares for Other Essential Travel

For Immediate Release: Monday, April 27, 2020

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and its six Washington-area Capital Bikeshare partners, and Lyft Electric Scooters, which operates in Montgomery and the District of Columbia, have extended special offers through May 31 to provide free memberships to essential workers during the COVID-19 health crisis. The free memberships provide unlimited free rides for trips under 30 minutes. In addition, Capital Bikeshare will continue to temporarily offer $1 single trip fares to support essential travel access for all riders.

The temporary programs are designed to support workers in the healthcare industry and in businesses recognized as essential by their respective jurisdictions, such as grocery stores and pharmacies. Essential employees who are Montgomery County residents, and essential workers who live outside the County, but work in Montgomery, can enroll for free 30-day Capital Bikeshare memberships or free 30-day combined memberships that includes Capital Bikeshare and Lyft electric scooters.

Employees or employers can email HeroBikes@Lyft.com directly any time before May 31 to sign up for a free, 30-day membership. Free rides will be available immediately upon enrollment.

More information is available at capitalbikeshare.com/blog/essential-workers-program.

The seven regional members of the Capital Bikeshare program, in addition to Montgomery County, are the District of Columbia, Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church and Prince George’s County.

The Capital Bikeshare mobile app is available at www.capitalbikeshare.com/how-it-works/get-the-app.

In support of the safety measures recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health departments, Capital Bikeshare has implemented an enhanced cleaning protocol. Rebalancing staff are cleaning high contact surfaces of bikes, with a focus on high traffic stations. High contact surfaces on vans used to transport bikes also are being disinfected at the start of each shift. Associates are wearing gloves when handling bikes.

For the most up-to-date local transportation information, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, visit MCDOT’s transportation resource page for COVID-19, or subscribe to MCDOT news releases.

For the latest Montgomery County updates during the health crisis, visit the County’s COVID-19 website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCoMD.

Release ID: 20-089
Media Contact: Hannah Henn 240-777-8389