NEW ORLEANS -- Blue Bikes announced today they're expanding farther Uptown, with the Lower Garden District boundary moving from Jackson to Louisiana.
Some local bike rental stores say that’s driving customers out of their businesses. Employees report revenue is down this summer.
"Anywhere from 20-to-25 percent for sure, maybe more,” Scott Beckett with Buzz NOLA said.
Beckett’s watched Blue Bike seize more and more of his customer base. The bike share program originally promised it would only target locals, but with stands now springing up across the French Quarter, Beckett feels he was lied to.
"They're obviously targeting not just locals but tourists,” Beckett said.
A Musing Bikes on Magazine Street is closing up shop and when asked on Facebook if Blue Bikes had anything to do with it, the company responded: "It definitely has something to do with Blue Bikes. This Jazz Fest we had 15 bikes available. Nobody rented them the entire time, yet I saw plenty of people on Blue Bikes."
Bike Easy doesn't think it has to be one company versus the other. The nonprofit is working with Blue Bike to appeal to a customer base that's not in competition with local rental stores.
"Bike share is an additional transportation option for local residents which is something folks need here,” Rob Henig-Bell with Bike Easy said.
The group has also teamed up with Blue Bike to insure lower income residents can also participate. Anyone with a Louisiana purchase card or in the SNAP program can sign up to use Blue Bikes for $20 a year.
"That's a very affordable option that does help folks out,” Henig-Bell said.
Bike Easy thinks there's enough need across the city for both bike rental options to succeed.
We asked The City about Blue Bikes competing with local bike rental companies and received this response from the Mayor's office:
The Blue Bike program is designed to be a fundamentally different service than traditional bike rental, and is priced and structured for shorter trips. For longer, sightseeing or leisurely rides, bike rental remains a vital and viable option.
Throughout the year-long planning process for bike share, the City engaged bike rental companies multiple times, and was responsive to specific concerns in the selection of station locations. The purpose of bike share is to provide a new option for residents to access jobs and daily needs. Early results show that these goals are being met through a steady increase in sign-ups for monthly and reduced fare passes.
Of more than 35,000 total trips in April, 50 percent were by monthly/reduced pass holders. While the bike stands in the French Quarter may be used by some tourists, we are mindful that the French Quarter is also a residential neighborhood. It is also imperative to provide our residents who live and work in the French Quarter with this affordable and healthy transportation option.
For more information on local bike tours available, visit these vendors' websites: