The Kenton County Fiscal Court has approved a funding deal with Cincy Bike Share, known more commonly as the Cincinnati Red Bikes, to help the nonprofit continue operating in the county.
Kenton County is among the final parties involved in a multi-jurisdictional agreement to subsidize the nonprofit’s operations.
“Many hands make light work,” said Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann after this week’s approval. “And that’s a perfect example of that.”
The bike share program’s board voted to shut Red Bike down permanently in March 2024 because of funding issues that arose after it lost a major sponsor. Expanded transit options have frequently come up as an alternative to cars in numerous public settings throughout the region, and several cities have recently expanded biking infrastructure.
In the aftermath of the potential shutdown, the organization began reaching out to cities, counties and agencies to make up its shortfall. Besides Kenton County, the Red Bikes have also sought agreements with Covington, Bellevue, Dayton, Newport, Campbell County and Cincinnati Metro (and the City of Cincinnati, naturally). Philanthropic organizations have also contributed.
Red Bike CEO Doug McClintock said that about 15% of the program’s stations are in Northern Kentucky and that the organization had successfully secured about $75,000 per year over the next three years from NKY agreements.
“We’ve realized bike share is transit, and it needs to exist in that space,” McClintock told LINK nky, “and have some sort of operating subsidy in some fashion to really have stability.”
Documents submitted to the fiscal court indicate the county will contribute $5,000 to the organization every year over the next three years. Knochelmann said the arrangement has been in the works for about six months.
People using the bike share program can purchase a pass through the organization’s app to rent a bike. Two-hour passes are available for $12, and monthly passes cost $30. Annual passes cost $150. Finally, the Red Bikes offer a so-called GO Pass for people in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for households with income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. People who receive food stamps, WIC, TANF or energy assistance programs like LIHEAP are also eligible for Go Pass. You can get more information on pricing here.
“We’re positioning ourselves in a really great place for longevity, as well as being able to operate a system that hopefully has this firm underpinning of governmental support,” McClintock said.
WCPO’s Danielle Goodman and Andrew Rowan contributed reporting to this story.