Photo by Leeann Cafferata
District commuters who take bikeshares to and from work instead of riding Metrorail save more money per month than people who opt to cycle in other bike-friendly cities across the country, according to a new report.
Capital Bikeshare members pay about $8 per month, making it the least expensive program compared to 18 other U.S. cities with extensive bikeshare services, according to consumer research company ValuePenguin.
While WMATA officials announced last year that Metro’s new monthly rail pass could save frequent passengers at least 20 percent on rides, ValuePenguin found that its $135 cost is the most expensive monthly fee for public rail offerings among the cities that were analyzed.
So District residents who choose the cheap Capital Bikeshare membership instead of the costly Metrorail pass save $127 per month, which is the biggest payoff in the report.
People in Los Angeles have the second highest monthly savings at $112, with their bikeshare program costing $20 per month and rail pass costing $132. New York City comes in third place with commuters saving $106.05 per month with a $19.95 monthly bikeshare fee and a $121 monthly rail pass.
Researchers also found that even with Metrorail delays, D.C. residents have the longest commute when cycling compared to taking the train among the top four cities with the best public transit and bike-share offerings.
When cycling to and from work, D.C.’s commuters spend about six minutes longer than if they chose to ride the train—this adds up to about 2 hours of extra travel time for bicyclists per month.
