Divvy bikes docked in the station
Chicago is the proud new home to a large-scale bike share called Divvy. Divvy is a program through the Chicago Department of Transportation, providing members access to more than 4,000 bikes from over 400 stations throughout Chicago. According to the Divvy website this program seeks to “provide Chicagoans with an additional transportation option for getting around the city” that is affordable and eco-friendly.
Divvy station powered by solar energy
I first got hooked on Divvy when a few of my friends from the suburbs came to visit. As a Loyola Law student I have a Venture card which permits unlimited access to all Chicago public transportation. (Stay tuned for an upcoming blog about Chicago transit). However, my out of town friends didn’t have a pass and they didn’t like the idea of paying for the public transit. Plus, taxis our out of our budgets. So my friend, and environmental activist, recommended we check out a Divvy bike for the evening.
Divvy offers 24-hour passes for just $7! (It costs over $2 for a single ride on a bus) We found the nearest Divvy station, dipped our credit cards, and bought our 24-hour passes. With this pass we can check out bikes from one station and return them to another station as many times as we want in the 24-hour period. The only restriction is that we can only have the bikes out for 30 minutes at a time. Not a problem, we only ever wanted to go a couple miles at time. We spent the whole night Divvying around the neighborhoods of Chicago.
Pleased with how easy it was to Divvy, I was curious what an annual membership would cost. I like the idea of having a bike to get around. However, having my own bike comes with too much extra work and responsibility. I don’t really have a safe place to store it. I don’t want to have to worry about locking it up everywhere or worry about it being stolen. I have no idea how to fix a bike, so maintaining it would be a hassle. Divvy offered a nice solution. I would always have my bike no matter where I went. They would take care of it. I don’t have to worry about it being stolen. I was just concerned about the cost…
Me checking out a bike with my Divvy key
Turns out it’s a great deal! Only $75 for an annual Divvy pass. That breaks down to about $6.25 a month. That is very affordable transportation! Right away I bought a pass online. A week later they sent me my own personal key. Now I head to any station in the city, put in my key, and I have a bike for 30 minutes.
I love my Divvy membership. I love not waiting for busses. I love the extra exercise. I do not love this cold and wet weather. It is interrupting my commute. But I am always on a Divvy bike whenever I can be!
Questions for Amie? Email law-admissions [at] luc [dot] edu with the subject “Ask Amie” and she will make sure to answer them.