"A key state agency has refused to fund a promising program that helps New Yorkers in transit deserts buy e-bikes, Streetsblog has learned, dealing a blow to the effort to create sustainable commutes for low-income New Yorkers. The decision by the New York State Research and Development Authority came after the same agency had given Bike New York a planning grant to develop an e-bike subsidy program in March 2025 - only to deny the non-profit funding for actual implementation."
"Bike New York spent a year creating a plan, but now has no money to implement it. This highlights a crucial problem with the micromobility landscape in New York City. State and city officials often say they support more electric micromobility, bike infrastructure, and charging infrastructure, but the reality is pilot programs don't lead to widespread change. One industry player says this amounts to a leadership vacuum. "I continue to be struck by the asymmetry between rhetoric and reality," said Shabazz Stuart, the founder and CEO of Oonee, which has applied for both city and state funding initiatives to varying success. Recently DOT passed over his Brooklyn-based company to build secure bike parking, despite a successful pilot. (Oonee has filed a formal protest.)"
A state research and development authority refused to fund implementation of an e-bike subsidy program after providing a planning grant. Bike New York completed a yearlong plan but lacks the resources to launch the subsidy. The decision underscores gaps in New York's micromobility ecosystem, where pilots often fail to scale. Industry leaders describe a leadership vacuum and a mismatch between public rhetoric and actual support for infrastructure, subsidies, and charging. One Brooklyn micromobility company reported being passed over for scaling despite a successful pilot and has filed a formal protest.
Read at Streetsblog
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