Worcester E-Bike Program

MassBike was awarded grant funding through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) new Accelerating Clean Transportation for All (ACT4All) Program to conduct a 2-year program to distribute electric bicycles and track their usage amongst select populations in the City of Worcester. We will lead a team including the Worcester Chamber of Commerce, community-based organizations, and the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) to deploy the e-bikes to low-income residents throughout Worcester.

Applications for the program are now closed & our selection process has begun. As the program continues, this page will be updated with current project information.

Program Update: November 29, 2022

As of November 2022, we have deployed 89 e-bikes out of 100 available. The distribution of bicycles has taken longer than expected since this is a pilot program that is running for the first time.

Though we have bicycles remaining, with the cold weather already setting in, we have decided to wait and distribute the remaining 11 e-bikes in Spring 2023. The success of this program relies on group rides and community events that will start again next March. If you submitted an application & have not yet been selected, no further action is required at this time to remain in our selection system. As always, we appreciate your patience and understanding.

If you have questions, please email Alex, our E-Bike Grant Manager, at [email protected]

Program Details

The program will determine approximately one hundred riders in the Worcester area to receive bicycles, train riders through safe cycling and maintenance courses, and coordinate community events to encourage everyday riding.

Program Timeline

May 2022 - Program application launch
Thursday, June 30th - Applications Due
July/August 2022 - Program participants selected
August-November 2022 - Round 1: E-Bikes distributed to participants
Spring 2023 - Round 2: E-Bikes distributed to participants

Program Application

The Worcester E-Bike Program application process is now closed. Thank you very much to those who sent in applications. Due to the high number of applications, a lottery system will be put in place to choose the participants.

All applicants will receive a notification about the selection criteria and an update on the process before the end of July.

Selection Criteria for Worcester E-Bike Program

Want to learn more? Email Alex at [email protected] for more information.

Worcester E-Bike Program Update - December 2022

Worcester E-Bike Program Participant Video

Press Mentions

"Worcester E-Bike Users Have Traveled Halfway Around Earth" (Worcester Patch - 1/24/23)
"New Worcester E-Bike Users Take Group Tour Of City" (Worcester Patch - 08/22/2022)
"Politics and the City: E-Bikes 'take the lane' on Worcester Streets in Pilot Project" (Worcester Telegram & Gazette - 08/21/2022)
“Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition starting Worcester e-bike program” (Spectrum News1 - 06/10/2022)
"MassBike giving away 100 free electric bikes to Worcester residents, workers; Here's how you can get one" (MassLive - 05/26/2022)
"Green Program Offering Free E-Bikes To Worcester Residents" (thisweekinworcester.com - 05/24/2022)
“Worcester MassBike Program Provides Free E-Bikes to Low Income Residents” (WBZ NewsRadio 1030 - 04/05/2022
“How Massachusetts is getting electric vehicles, e-bikes to low-income populations” (Worcester Telegram & Gazette - 03/31/2022)
"Mass. Clean Energy Center Awards $3 Million to New E-Bike Subsidy Programs" (Streetsblog MASS - 03/09/2022)
"E-Bikes For Worcester Residents: Grant Funds Test Program" (Patch - 03/08/2022)

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