Pacers Bikeshare program gets 325 electric bikes and a free annual pass for local residents

The City of Indianapolis and a local nonprofit made two announcements Thursday around the city's Pacers Bikeshare program.

Indianapolis Cultural Trail, which runs the program, unveiled a fleet of electric assist bikes. Mayor Joe Hogsett highlighted the project's impact on the environment.

"This is just one more step on our quest toward a cleaner, healthier, and more mobile city,” said Hogsett.

At launch there are 325 e-bikes available around the city. The e-bikes have an electric pedal assist designed to make riding them easier, and an electric display to check your speed.

According to Kären Haley, executive director of Indianapolis Cultural Trail, the new e-bikes are funded by a $1.2 million Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The city also announced a free annual pass that allows residents to use these new e-bikes, as well as the regular bikes that are part of the Pacers Bikeshare program. Non-residents can also register for the pass, under a paid option.

You can register for the pass, called IndyRides Free, at pacersbikeshare.org. With it you get unlimited 30-minute trips for one year. After 30 minutes there's a $0.25 per minute fee.

Mayor Hogsett said the bikeshare program started 10 years ago with 25 stations and 250 bikes, and that today it's grown into a fleet that has transported Indy residents and visitors a total of 1.9 million miles.

Contact WFYI digital producer and reporter Zach Bundy at zbundy@wfyi.org.