POGOH Bikeshare Program to launch Sprink 2022, electric bikes, stations

Bikeshare Pittsburgh announces new system to replace Healthy Ride Bikes, stations with support from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Alleheny Health Network

PITTSBURGH (March 16, 2022) — Bike Share Pittsburgh unveiled their new bikes with a fresh new look today at Highmark Stadium to an audience of community members, partners, and local officials. The event officially announced the upcoming retirement of Healthy Ride bikes and stations, and the forthcoming launch of a new system with a new name: POGOH. POGOH will launch in the coming weeks with 38 stations and brand-new bikes including both e-assist bikes and traditional pedal bikes. POGOH, Pittsburgh’s new bikeshare program, will continue to be owned and operated by local non-profit Bike Share Pittsburgh who manages the current Healthy Ride bikeshare fleet.

“We’re thrilled to unveil the new bikes today and share this moment with our community, our partners, and our city,” said David White, Executive Director of Bike Share Pittsburgh. “The new system has been in the works for years now and it’s exciting to finally be able to share it with Pittsburgh.”

The launch of POGOH is a culmination of Bike Share Pittsburgh’s desire to better serve the Pittsburgh community with a more accessible, inclusive system, and the availability of electric bicycles and public charging stations. Bike Share Pittsburgh established a Community Coalition of partners in early 2021 to guide bikeshare into a more equitable bikeshare program for Pittsburgh. Feedback from the Community Coalition directly impacted the pricing, station placement, branding, programming, and will guide future equity efforts. 

“We’re determined to build the best bike share program for Pittsburgh,” says White. “And that means engaging BIPOC communities, low-income communities, our riders, our stakeholders, and community partners that are doing the hard work every day to build an inclusive, equitable city for all. Bikeshare is an important part of the mobility mix in our city; we’re dedicated to making POGOH a reliable, joyful, and equitable experience for residents and visitors.”

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Allegheny Health Network will continue to serve as the title sponsors of POGOH, which was initially established in 2015. 

“Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Allegheny Health Network are proud to continue to support POGOH as our organizations remain committed to improving the health and well-being of those who live, work, and play in Pittsburgh,” shared Dan Onorato, executive vice president, chief corporate affairs officer for Highmark Health. “The bike sharing system has proven to be a tremendous success over the past seven years through increased access and connectivity across the City, while also promoting physical activity and exercise to residents and visitors alike. We look forward to seeing this program continue to flourish and benefit the communities we serve.” 

The system launch is made possible from private sponsors and local foundations – the Hillman Foundation, the Heinz Endowments and the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Additional station locations, plans, and funding for 2022 will be solidified later this year. 

POGOH features all new hardware and software from bikeshare provider PBSC Urban Solutions (PBSC) based in Montreal, Canada, an international leader in micromobility solutions with systems around the globe.

The new POGOH bicycles will feature a lighter frame, three gears, a basket, an adjustable seat, 24” tires, front and rear lights, fenders, and roller brakes. Half of the fleet will be e-assist bicycles that give the rider a boost on hills. E-assist bikes will not have a throttle like some e-bikes out there on the road; riders will still need to pedal to keep the bike moving. E-assist bikes can be returned at any station in the system but will charge on-site at POGOH’s electric stations throughout the city. POGOH’s operations team can also switch out batteries on e-assist bikes right at the station to keep e-assist bikes consistently charged and available at any station. 

“We look forward to working with our partners at Bike Share Pittsburgh, our 15th city in the U.S. with PBSC's bikes and stations. The city will be equipped with our best-in-class technology! Not only will they have stations with advanced charging technology that allow e-bikes to be charged automatically and directly at the station, but also thanks to the PBSC app, users can easily unlock and rent bikes with smartphones using a QR code, among other conveniences that Pittsburgh's citizens and tourists are sure to embrace.” Gian Carlo Crivello, CRO at PBSC.

“We know that e-assist bikes are going to be a hit here in Pittsburgh,” says White. “We’ve been working diligently with the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI), Duquesne Light, and Move PGH to ensure that e-assist bikes can be charged directly at stations throughout the network in Pittsburgh. We’re incredibly fortunate to be in a city working towards an electrified transportation future that makes e-assist bike charging sustainable and convenient.”

POGOH will also feature new pricing and membership plans designed to make bikeshare more accessible to more people for different kinds of trips. Annual Membership will include unlimited 30-minute rides for $120 per year, Mobility Justice Membership offers the Annual Membership to those who receive government assistance for $10 per year, a Flex Pass of 5 hours for $20, and Pay-As-You-Go pricing at just $3.50 per 30-minutes for pedal bikes, and $5 per 30-minutes for e-assist bikes. POGOH will also feature a cash payment option using Cash App for the Annual Membership, Mobility Justice, Membership, and the Flex Pass. There will be a $1 surcharge for e-assist bike rentals on both the Annual Membership and the Flex Pass to account for the increase in operations expenses.

“We’ll be launching with our first-ever Mobility Justice Membership, which will offer our Annual Membership to persons who receive government assistance for only $10 a year,” said White. “Bike Share Pittsburgh is determined to build an equitable bikeshare program for Pittsburgh, and pricing is a key piece of that puzzle.”

Keeping with the homegrown nature of the bikeshare program, Bike Share Pittsburgh collaborated with local design studio Landesberg Design to design a new name and look for the system. “The equipment replacement was an opportunity to re-imagine the bikeshare system and better reflect Pittsburgh, and our mission as an organization through the naming and design,” said Erin Potts, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach at Bike Share Pittsburgh. 

“We are thrilled that Bike Share Pittsburgh chose Landesberg Design as their creative partner for the new bikeshare program. Add the chance to design a creative, fun, distinctly Pittsburgh brand identity together with a unique program, plus a shared goal to serve the common good, and it’s the perfect project for us. I can’t wait to see riders POGOH-ing all over town,” said Landesberg Design’s Creative Director Tim Madle.

For more information visit HealthyRidePGH.com. New website and app launching soon.