With the Red Bike bike-sharing system directed to shut down in the City of Cincinnati, the non-profit says it's made the "difficult decision" to shut down its Covington stations as well for the time being.

 

"Our Covington stations are some of our most popular in the whole system," said Jason Barron, executive director of Red Bike. "But operating a partial system in only Northern Kentucky would have caused confusion for our riders, including potentially stranding someone in an area without service. In these difficult times, it is best to be clear and consistent."

 

Red Bike has over 500 publicly shared bicycles with 59 bike-share stations, including six in Covington. Last year, Red Bike became one of the first bike-share systems in the country to add electric-assist bicycles to its fleet.

 

The non-profit is dedicated to public transportation that, in its words, provides a "low-cost, healthy, and green transportation option that makes Greater Cincinnati a more vibrant and connected community."

 

Barron said Red Bike plans to keep its employees during the temporary shutdown and encourages frequent riders to keep their membership active so it can manage the financial impact of that shutdown.

 

"Red Bike is all about community, and we embrace our small part to help our community stay healthy," he said.