NYC asks Lyft to require ID for Citi Bike e-bikes to curb underage riders

City Hall is urging Lyft to implement proof-based age checks for Citi Bike’s electric bicycles to prevent underage riders from using them.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Lyft CEO David Risher, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro called for “appropriate age verification steps,” such as requiring proof of a driver’s license or learner’s permit, to ensure e-bike users are at least 16 — the minimum age allowed under the company’s own terms of service.

Mastro cited safety concerns and pointed to a recent D aily News op-ed from Bradley Tusk, a venture capitalist and political strategist, that highlighted underage use.

“The dangers of underage use are compounded by these riders’ frequent failure to use proper safety equipment,” Mastro wrote in his Aug. 12 letter to Risher.

Mastro wrote that Citigroup, a Citi Bike partner, supports the age limit and warned that the city would take “appropriate steps” if Lyft does not act promptly. Sources indicated that Citigroup’s Head of Enterprise Services and Public Affairs, Ed Skyler, met with Lyft back in June to request that they enhance their verification procedure, and that discussions on the topic have been ongoing.

A Lyft spokesperson said Tuesday afternoon that it was “currently reviewing” the letter.

First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

A similar push came last month by Brooklyn Council Member Justin Brannan, who in late July wrote to Lyft asking for a similar age verification measure to block users under 16 from creating Citi Bike accounts. Brannan warned that the current self-reported age system is “a disaster waiting to happen,” especially amid a surge in e-bike crashes involving minors.

Mastro’s request comes after Lyft last month agreed to reduce Citi Bike e-bike speeds to 15 mph . The move followed an emergency mandate from Mastro on June 5 ordering the ride-share company to lower its current 18 mph speed limit, saying that it had failed to do so after multiple requests.

Mastro’s last letter explained that if the city deems there is a threat to life or property, it can alleviate the public safety emergency by “removing, replacing, reinstalling, or locking” the bikes and adjacent equipment.

Citi Bike’s fleet includes more than 20,000 bikes, with over 4,000 of them electric.

Citi Bike riders took 4,856,367 trips in June, averaging 161,879 rides a day, according to the program’s latest monthly report. Annual members logged 3.87 million of those rides, while casual users accounted for about 982,000.

Annual members pay 25 cents per minute for e-bike rides, capped at $5 for trips 45 minutes or less that start or end in Manhattan. Non-members are charged 38 cents per minute, while Reduced Fare Bikeshare members pay 13 cents per minute.