BIXI Turns 15 & Reaches an All-Time Ridership High

100 new red BIXI bikes are now available to all users of the bike-sharing service. To mark its 15th anniversary, and more than 9 million trips recorded at this point in the season, BIXI inaugurated a new fleet of bikes, which were presented during a procession through the streets of Montreal yesterday, Thursday September 28th. This new fleet is the last steppingstone of a major effort to harmonize the brand over the last year.

More than 9 million trips by 2023: BIXI breaks all records

While the 2023 season is still underway, BIXI has already broken its record by exceeding 9 million trips in 2023. The last symbolic milestone was reached in 2022, with 9 million trips for the whole season. "We provide as many trips as a bus network, and BIXI is now a standardized form of public transport. Reaching 9 million trips at this point in the season confirms that for a whole new generation of Montrealers and Quebecers, we are a necessary service for getting around the city: BIXI has become a part of the Montreal landscape," notes Pierre-Luc Marier, BIXI's Director of Integrated Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs.

A procession to celebrate 15 years of history on the Montreal landscape

The parade kicked off at 4:30 p.m. yesterday, Thursday, September 28. It left Square Victoria for Centre Phi, via Rue Notre-Dame and Rue Saint-Pierre.

In all, some 100 people (elected officials and mobility agents from the Greater Metropolitan area) were present. "It was a pleasure to bring together these key players in the Montreal mobility sector to celebrate BIXI's 15th anniversary," says Pierre-Luc Marier.

The procession departed from Square Victoria, a highly symbolic location for the BIXI Montreal brand. This park was designed by Michel Dallaire, as was the design of the BIXI bike: it fits in with the Square's space, notably through the curves of the benches, which are reminiscent of the BIXI's curves, but also through the color and rounded angles.

BIXI recently overhauled its fare structure, introduced a new graphic grid, including more inclusive font for improved readability, a new website and upgraded all its communication tools, such as the newsletter, social networks and poster campaigns in the city.

The rollout began in March and ended yesterday with the unveiling of the new BIXIs.

This harmonization of brand architecture is the final step in the road travelled by BIXI in recent years: the brand has grown considerably. It now caters for 500,000 users, is present in 8 cities, provides more than 9 million trips a year, and will be available all year round as of this winter.

"Having witnessed the early days of BIXI, when the project was still only on the drawing board, I can't help but be proud of where we are today. Not only is BIXI Montréal one of the largest bike-sharing services in North America, it's also an organization that has served as an inspiration around the world. I'm also very proud of the partnerships we've created and maintained over the years. Today's partners (Ville de Montréal, STM, ARTM, Communauto, etc.) share our commitment to offering as many transportation choices as possible in Montreal. Together, we're helping to optimize the way we travel," concludes Christian Vermette, General Manager of BIXI Montréal.

About BIXI

BIXI Montreal is responsible for managing the bike-sharing system in Montreal, Westmount, Mount Royal, East Montreal, Longueuil, Boucherville, Terrebonne and Laval. In 2023, the BIXI network has 10,000 bikes (including 2,600 electric bikes) and over 865 stations. Montreal has the largest fleet of electric bikes in Canada and one of the largest fleets of shared bikes in North America.

SOURCE BIXI Montréal

For further information: Laura Boily-Auclair, communications@biximontreal.com