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Richmond's electric bike share program has reduced its operating hours and begun removing batteries from bikes overnight in response to increasing vandalism and theft, according to city officials.
The program now operates from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 6 p.m. on weekends, according to the City Manager's Weekly Report.
The program, launched in September 2023, initially operated from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily.
Richmond’s electric bike-share program is back
Richmond has relaunched its defunct electric bike-share program with a new operator and freshly rebranded bikes. Residents can now rent bikes from several bike hubs around town. The new bikeshare contractor, Today Bikes, will manage the system. The city’s previous bike-share shut down in 2022 when the contractor, Bolt
Soren Hemmila
Staff now lock up or remove batteries from some bikes during off-hours to prevent theft and damage, according to Gabino Arredondo, the city's Transportation Services Project Manager.
"There has been an increase in vandalism and theft across all stations," Arredondo said. "One of the main components being targeted is the battery, which costs approximately $400 to replace."
When a battery is stolen, the bike goes offline and must be repaired before returning to service. The vendor, Charleston Mobility, is working to restore the original 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. hours, Arredondo said.
The Richmond City Council approved $410,000 in June to support the continued operation of the citywide program through September 2028. The funding comes from the Environmental and Community Investment Agreement, not the city's general fund. The contract amendment brought the total amount to $3.15 million.
The funding request showed a monthly operating budget of $68,173, down from an earlier estimate of $72,185 after the company offered to cut program fees by 50 percent. The six-month total came to $409,038.
The monthly costs included $45,569 for maintenance and operations, $5,350 for warehouse space, $4,895 for software and SIM cards, $4,815 for insurance, $2,461 for vehicles and $1,070 for miscellaneous supplies, according to budget documents.
The program has served more than 3,200 riders since its launch, according to vendor data. As of early 2025, the system had logged 3,289 trips covering 7,702 miles and avoided 3.1 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
Today’s bike share currently has 85 bikes at multiple Richmond hubs, with plans to grow to 135 bikes, add 10 more hubs, and supply 75 extra batteries.
Vandalism challenges have included stripped bikes, severe damage, spray paint, and bikes thrown into the bay, according to vendor presentations. The company added staff shifts and hired bike ambassadors while working with Richmond police to address the issues.
Arredondo, who recently took over the program, said he plans to work with the vendor and city staff to evaluate the program's strengths, weaknesses, and future funding.
Sean Flood, co-founder of Today bike share, said in an email that he wanted to discuss the program, but did not respond to follow-up requests for comment.
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