Change will allow hundreds of thousands of NYC SNAP recipients to be automatically eligible for Citi Bike at $5 per month, expanding access to an affordable transit option
Mayor Bill de Blasio, DOT and HRA today announced that Citi Bike would become more accessible to New Yorkers, by expanding Citi Bike’s $5 per month membership. Previously only available to NYCHA residents, starting today, New Yorkers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, will be eligible, bringing Citi Bike to a broader population. More than 1.6 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP to help feed their families every day. The new program is presented by Healthfirst, the largest not-for-profit health insurance plan in New York City, and was announced at the Bed-Stuy Restoration Corporation.
“Affordable bike share for more New Yorkers helps us build a fairer and more equitable city,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Improving mobility for SNAP recipients in our city will help them make ends meet by giving them greater access to jobs, services and educational opportunities.”
To apply for this discount, SNAP recipients can visit the Citi Bike website at citibikenyc.com and enter their EBT card number or NYCHA tenant ID. Citi Bike is partnering with HRA, the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and other to begin a robust community outreach program with in-person, multilingual sign up opportunities at SNAP enrollment centers, greenmarkets, NYCHA developments, and community centers. NYCHA residents already enrolled in the discount program do not need to reapply.
“Today’s announcement of a new affordable Citi Bike membership for SNAP recipients helps to address the Mayor de Blasio’s goals for a more equitable city, by allowing thousands more New Yorkers to discover cycling -- a transit option that is healthy, affordable, and fun,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “It has already been a big summer for bikeshare, as we have already announced that Citi Bike will play a critical role in meeting next year’s L train disruption and are also bringing affordable dockless bike share to outer-borough locations like the Rockaways for the first time. We expect that today’s announcement will allow us to make even more progress, and no better way to make the point than with a bike ride from Bed-Stuy Restoration, where an incredible grassroots effort to embrace Citi Bike over the last two years has led to a dramatic increase in community members hopping on bikes to get around.”
“The convenience, health benefits, and enjoyment of a bike share program are important to all, and we’re proud to work with Citi Bike to put them within reach of even more New Yorkers,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “SNAP helps over 1.6 million New Yorkers make ends meet and access healthy food – and we’re very pleased that now it also offers access to a convenient, healthy, and fun way to get around the city.”
