12.9M Reasons Why Chicago Got Micromobility Right
[Micromobility Pro] 12.9m shared bike and scooter trips in a single year. Here’s how a decade of policy, infrastructure, and operator decisions made it happen.
Welcome to Micromobility Pro, a bi-weekly publication which is part of The Micromobility Newsletter, where we deep-dive into the financials of micromobility companies and share exclusive insights tailored for professionals and members.
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Contents
Introduction
A City Built on Getting Around
Chart: Chicago Shared Micromobility Analysis (2025)
Where It Began
Chart: Divvy Bikeshare Rides in Chicago (2024 & 2025)
Scooters Came in Differently
Chart: E-Scooter Trips by Private Operators (2022-2025)
Building the Bike Network
The Ridership Numbers
Chart: Divvy Trips by Vehicle Type (2019-2025)
Equity as a Design Choice
Where It Goes From Here
Introduction
Chicago is the kind of city that moves on its own terms. It has a transit network that stretches across 77 community areas, a lakefront that draws millions every summer, and winters cold enough to test even the most committed commuter. Yet over the past few years, Chicagoans have been getting on bikes and scooters in numbers that keep breaking records, 8.7m shared trips in 2023, 11m in 2024, and 12.9m in 2025.
To understand how that happened, we have to go back further than the numbers.
A City Built on Getting Around
Chicago has always taken transportation seriously. The “L” train has been running since 1892. The city sits at the intersection of major Amtrak corridors, Metra commuter rail lines, and one of the most extensive CTA bus networks in the country. Getting around without a car has never been impossible here, but it has always had gaps.