North Bay bikeshare program gets 3-year extension, will expand to more SMART stations
Photo courtesy Redwood Bikeshare's Instagram.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - A bikeshare program designed to give Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit riders more options to get to and from stations will be extended another three years after $1 million in state funding was earmarked for the program.
Bikeshare program gets 3 more years
The funding for the Redwood Bikeshare program will expand the program to every SMART station along the rail corridor, according to a statement from state Sen. Mike McGuire, who facilitated the funding request.
"This is a major win for SMART passengers," McGuire said in a statement Friday. "Redwood Bikeshare is helping make the SMART system even more accessible, allowing riders to hop off the train and jump on an e-bike to head home, go to work, or run errands. This investment means more bikes at stations, more connections, and a lot more convenience."
The backstory:
The program was launched in 2024 and offers e-bikes for rent by the minute, day, or month, plus fees.
About 28,500 rides have been taken since the program's launch, with about 60% of those originating or ending at a SMART station, according to McGuire's office.
Chris Coursey, SMART board chair and a member of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, said the program has helped boost SMART ridership by roughly 26% each year since its launch.
"Over the past two years, Redwood Bikeshare has become an important part of our regional transportation network, particularly when combined with SMART's rail service," Coursey said in a statement. "Redwood Bikeshare and SMART are making it easier for thousands of people to travel throughout the North Bay without relying on a car."
Dig deeper:
The program is operated by the company Drop Mobility. As of fall 2026, Redwood Bikeshare had 300 e-bikes in its stock in a service area including Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma, San Rafael, Novato, and Larkspur.
More information, rates, and link to download the smartphone app used to rent the bikes are available at https://redwoodbikeshare.com/.