Capital Bikeshare sees pandemic rebound with highest ridership month ever

WASHINGTON — May 2023 was Capital Bikeshare's highest ridership month ever, new data shows. Officials hope the increased ridership numbers bode well for D.C.'s summer tourism as Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration push an action plan to bring people downtown following the COVID pandemic. 

Capital Bikeshare cyclists took 428,000 rides in May 2023, beating the pre-pandemic record of 408,000 rides in September 2018. The surge in ridership was driven by casual trips, which were up 80% in May 2023 vs. May 2019. Riders were also taking more trips each than they were before the pandemic, up 17% compared to 2019, data shows.

"The record-breaking ridership numbers reported by Capital Bikeshare show that D.C.’s comeback is well underway. Getting more people downtown continues to be among our top priorities and having protected bike lanes and more Capital Bikeshare bikes for residents and visitors make it that much easier to come downtown,” Bowser said in a press statement. “I want to thank DDOT and Capital Bikeshare for continuing to support affordable and sustainable transit options for our visitors and residents, and we look forward to seeing these ridership numbers climb even higher as we enter the summer months."

According to Capital Bikeshare, peak ridership traditionally comes in late summer, so D.C. leaders are optimistic there could be more ridership records in the future.

"This is an incredible milestone for our Capital Bikeshare program that highlights our commitment to providing affordable and sustainable transportation programs that work for all of our residents and visitors," said DDOT Director Everett Lott. “DDOT continues to focus on what helps our residents travel throughout the District: increased system reliability, improved accessibility, and safe, affordable travel options."

Even as commuting to the office and going to school plunged at the height of COVID lockdowns, outdoor recreation, and cycling in particular, surged in country after country as people looked to escape isolation in a relatively safe way. In response, city after city has developed bikeways with new urgency since 2020. 

In 2001, Washington, D.C. offered cyclists a meager 3 miles (5 kilometers) of bicycle lanes, unprotected. By 2019, the network topped 100 miles, and bicycling as a share of all travel in the city increased fivefold. In 2020 and 2021, the city picked up the pace even more, building nearly 20 miles (32 km) of protected lanes, much safer than merely marked lanes on streets shared with cars.