Today, the Metro board was supposed to approve a $200 million five-year contract for Lyft to operate Metro Bike Share. But the Lyft contract approval was withdrawn from the meeting agenda, leaving Metro Bike Share's next chapter unclear.
This week's reversal was a déjà vu moment, all too similar to last year's failed procurement process.
In January 2024, it looked like Metro had rolled out the red carpet for Lyft to operate Metro Bike Share. The current operator, Bicycle Transit Systems, alleged that the selection process had been unfair. After public outcry - raising concerns with Lyft's anti-labor and anti-transit record - the contract decision item was postponed one month, then another.
Nothing happened. Then Metro quietly canceled the procurement in late March. BTS continued to operate the bike-share system via short-term contract extensions.
Earlier this year, Metro put the bike-share contract back out to bid. Metro's re-procurement re-selected Lyft. Last week, the Metro board Operations Committee approved the contract, pending full board approval.
Last Friday, Metro posted the board meeting agenda, with the Lyft contract item listed. Then, midweek, Metro updated the agenda, withdrawing the contract vote.
Streetsblog asked Metro's communications folks if there was any official statement regarding the removal. Metro Communications Director Edith Burge responded that "Metro is in receipt of the protest regarding the award of the Metro Bike Share Program contract and has entered a communications blackout period" and further "Metro is processing the protest in accordance with established procedures." (It is typical that the agency limits comment on procurement matters underway.)
The only explanation SBLA found was this statement by BTS again alleging that the procurement process had been unfair, to the point of being illegal. From a BTS statement:
...it was discovered that Lyft submitted a proposal in partnership with Alta Planning + Design as a subcontractor—despite Alta’s role in helping to draft the very RFP they later bid on. This represents a clear conflict of interest and a violation of public contracting rules, as well as state and federal law.
Additionally the BTS statement asserts that "despite saying they would honor the current union contract, Lyft plans to cut union wages..."
During general public comment at the end of today's Metro board meeting, a Lyft representative stated that the corporation plans to respond to the charges in writing.
So, what's next for Metro Bike Share?
Metro has a couple of planned bike-share system expansion grants (one state, one federal) that appear to be waiting on this contract. This work will need to get underway soon to serve 2028 Olympics/Paralympics (and maybe 2026 World Cup) tourists.
The competition between Lyft and BTS has essentially already resulted in a healthy bidding war, where Metro is poised to realize significant cost savings under either operator. Metro estimates that both bids represent a 30+ percent savings over current costs.
From various remarks (including CEO Stephanie Wiggins' statement in March) and procurements that appear to be - legally and perhaps illegally - biased against the existing system and toward a wholesale rebuild, the relationship between Metro and its incumbent contractor BTS appear, at the least, strained.
It's possible that Lyft will clear itself from BTS' current allegations - though they couldn't last year. Lyft could prevail and be awarded the contract, and install their bike-share fleet.
It's possible that Metro will again cancel the procurement, leaving bike-share in the uneasy limbo where it has been for a year and a half now. Metro could come back in 2026 and hope that recommending Lyft a third time passes muster.
It's possible that Lyft's transgressions are too substantial for Metro to overlook, and Metro would award the five-year contract to the last bidder standing, incumbent BTS. Given the competitive process, this would mean a significant cost savings for Metro. But Metro leadership would likely perceive it as a loss - the horse they picked didn't win.
Mostly due to deadly streets (thanks in part to Metro inaction), Metro Bike Share has not really thrived in Los Angeles. Sure people ride it, but it's not integral to large numbers of people's daily transportation. Bike-share is sort of the overlooked stepchild of the Metro transportation family. One sad example of this is that Metro refused to site Metro Bike Share docks on Metro station property.
The current twice-botched will-they-won't-they procurement process is not doing Metro Bike Share any favors.
