Detroit's MoGo bike share pauses operations
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MoGo bicycles in Detroit. Photo: Anthony Lanzilote/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Detroit's MoGo bike-share system has paused operations for the season as its operators evaluate its future.
Why it matters: MoGo has had funding challenges and will likely come back looking different as the city builds a new strategy around "micromobility," including bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters.
State of play: MoGo recently teased big changes in a website announcement. It says a "new chapter is ahead" and to stay tuned to learn more about an "enhanced system" that's more sustainable and with better technology.
- What that looks like, and whether it's still called MoGo, is yet to be determined.
Context: Detroit's bike-share system is tough to sustain and has lost money in recent years, according to the Free Press. That includes a $706,000 net loss in 2023.
Catch up quick: MoGo launched in 2017 as a program under a nonprofit, the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Its funding comes from private donations, public grants and revenue.
- Later this year, the DDP is expected to transfer MoGo over to city government hands — specifically, the Detroit Transportation Corp., which operates the People Mover.
- If that goes through, MoGo gets $350,000 in new funding to replace and restore its aging docking stations and bikes.
What they're saying: "Regarding MoGo's current status, the City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation is looking at approaches to addressing micromobility," Melia Howard, CEO of Detroit Transportation Corp. (DTC), tells Axios in a statement.
- "DTC remains committed to working with partners and providers to explore accessible, connected and sustainable transportation opportunities for Detroit residents, workers and visitors."
How it works: At MoGo docking stations in Detroit and nearby suburbs, users can rent out bicycles and e-bikes for short-term use, paying $1 per ride, plus 25 cents per minute — or using various prepaid passes.
- Before the pause, MoGo operated 80 bike stations, averaging 275 rides a day.
What's next: The DTC board would need to approve the move.