"The immediate problem is that the city does not adequately manage its Citi Bike contract. That critical document includes a long list of performance measures that the city must enforce. These include ensuring bikes are available for use, maintaining operational stations, providing quality customer service - and, yes, removing snow. Each measure carries specific penalties when the company doesn't fulfill them. For example, each broken dock that has not been repaired within 48 hours of notification is subject to a penalty of $10 per dock."
"In 2023, then-Comptroller Brad Lander's office published a well-researched report about the Citi Bike contract. The report's authors argued that the city's contractual right to impose fines on Lyft is the best route to obtaining better service - but the city rarely exercises this right. The authors recommended that the city start fining Lyft when it misses performance targets. But DOT is reluctant to sanction Lyft, "because doing it consistently would deprive the operator of funding to run the system,""
Lyft has operated and expanded Citi Bike since 2018, but the system suffers from sub-par bike balancing, broken docks, and recurring price hikes. Winter storms left entire stations encased in ice, prompting blame for neglected infrastructure. The city contract lists many enforceable performance measures, including bike availability, operational stations, customer service, and snow removal, each tied to specific penalties. For example, unrepaired docks after 48 hours incur a $10 penalty each. A 2023 comptroller report recommended using fines to improve service, while DOT worries fines could reduce operator funding and supports offsetting incentives.
Read at Streetsblog
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