BOSTON, Oct. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (Blue Cross), in partnership with the system's municipal owners, today announced Bluebikes fare reductions on Saturdays and Sundays through the end of 2019 to support easier travel during the MBTA's planned shutdowns. Beginning October 5, riders can take 30-minute single trips to and from stations on the Metro area's public bike share system for $1 on weekends. The reduced fares are sponsored by Blue Cross, Bluebikes' title sponsor. Bluebikes is owned by the municipalities of Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Everett and Somerville.
To access the $1 single-trip weekend fares, Bluebikes riders can use the code "BlueCross" in the Bluebikes app or visit http://ride.bluebikes.com/bluecross/ for a 30-minute Bluebikes trip.
"We hope these discounted Bluebikes fares will help our communities reduce the challenges of traveling in the city during these scheduled MBTA shutdowns," said Kathy Klingler, chief marketing officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. "We look forward to working with our municipal partners to continue to promote a healthy, sustainable mode of transportation."
In addition to the reduced fares, Bluebikes riders can expect weekend valet service, beginning October 5, to ensure bikes and docks are available at key transit nodes affected by the shutdowns. The municipal owners of Bluebikes installed new stations throughout the summer to create a network of stations that better connects to transit. The City of Boston will add another new bike share station near Sullivan Square to support transit riders during the shutdown.
"Bike share is an important component of our public transportation system, and reaching the goals in our Go Boston 2030 plan," said Acting Boston Transportation Commissioner Gregory Rooney on behalf of the municipal owners of Bluebikes. "We are pleased that the reduced Bluebikes fare and increased service will help area residents and visitors get to their destinations, and make this service more convenient for Boston residents."
To showcase its continued commitment to providing easier and affordable access to healthy and sustainable living, Blue Cross also recently announced it will fund the expansion of the Bluebikes system to seven community health centers in Boston, and also donated $10,000 to the Bluebikes income-eligible program.
Blue Cross is in the second year of a six-year Bluebikes title sponsorship. Through its partnership with the municipal owners of Bluebikes, Blue Cross is supporting continued growth and expansion, including system upgrades, additional bikes, new mobile app features and station expansions to create increased access. Recently, Bluebikes hit the 10 millionth rider milestone with the system seeing a 46% increase in news riders this year over 2018. Across the five municipalities, there are more than 3,500 bikes and 325 stations across the Bluebikes system, which is operated by Lyft.
About Bluebikes
Bluebikes is public transportation by bike. Owned and jointly governed by the municipalities of Boston, Brookline, Everett, Cambridge and Somerville, Bluebikes offers a fast, fun, and affordable transportation option. Users can ride any of the 3,500+ bikes to and from the 325 stations across the region. Since launching in 2011, 10 million trips have been taken on Bluebikes, including nearly 2 million trips so far in 2019.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on
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SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
