Better Bike Share Grant - Tugo Bike Share System

Better Bike Share Grant - Tugo Bike Share System

Published on May 21, 2024

The Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP), funded by The JPB Foundation to build equitable and replicable shared micromobility systems, awarded $200,000 to the City of Tucson's Tugo Bike Share Program to test strategies and implement new ideas so that people living in lower-income communities can more easily access and use bike share systems.

A collaborative effort between PeopleForBikes, the City of Philadelphia, and the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), BBSP will provide the City of Tucson with funding, support, and additional resources to develop best practices for creating access to shared micromobility and increase use of shared micromobility in historically marginalized communities.

The grant will help to incorporate a community-led planning effort with community partners, such as Families United Gaining Accessibility/Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad (FUGA) and the City of Tucson, to further develop and build relationships with individuals, neighborhoods and organizations through public outreach events and beyond.

"This is a critical investment that's been overdue in our part of the city and by supporting the work already being done by FUGA this grant helps us continue to break down barriers to mobility," said Ward 1 Council Member Lane Santa Cruz.

"FUGA has been fostering familiarity of Tugo Bike Share in these communities since 2018 through monthly community bicycle rides. Now we can work with our community to identify the mobility gaps to make Tugo for Nosotros!" said Vanessa Gallego, FUGA Program Manager.

The Tugo Bike Share system is owned by the City of Tucson and is operated by Shift Transit, a leader in bike share and mobility operation services across North America. The bike share system has over 330 pedal bikes, 41 stations and 558 docking points.

The 2024-2026 cohort of Living Lab grantees consist of the City of Tucson, Pittsburgh, PA, Los Angeles, CA and Philadelphia, PA.