WORCESTER—The ribbon has been cut, the test rides taken, and all 10 of Worcester’s new e-bikes are already out on the streets.
Metro Mobility’s first Worcester e-bike charging and rental station opened on Friday at the WRTA Central Hub on Foster Street, the busy downtown bus and commuter rail stop where 23 bus routes meet the MBTA’s Worcester Line.
The station is part of a state-funded pilot through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Accelerating Clean Transportation for All program. It’s designed to make short trips easier — especially for people who rely on public transportation or don’t own a car.
“The WRTA Transit Center launch event was outstanding,” Leo Blooston, mechanical and hardware engineer at Metro Mobility, told the Worcester Guardian. He said the crowd of about 30 included city leaders, transit officials, planners, and bike advocates, with curious bus riders stopping to ask when they could rent an e-bike. “Attendees were excited for the future of micromobility in Worcester,” Blooston said.
The bikes use Metro Mobility’s patented ChargeLock stations, which allow riders to pick up and return them to the WRTA Hub — but also lock them up anywhere mid-trip. That means a rider can check out a bike at the station, pedal it to work or home, and secure it to a standard rack without hunting for a docking station nearby.
For riders who meet income or student-status qualifications, the cost is just a buck for a full day. Blooston said keeping the service affordable was central to the program’s design: “Low-income communities typically face a disproportionately high transportation burden, so it was a priority to ensure affordability and accessibility.”
During the launch, Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Eric Batista, and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center program director Rachel Ackerman each took a bike for a quick spin. First-time riders at the event were surprised by the electric pedal-assist. “Lots of smiles,” Blooston said. “People were surprised by how easy the bike is to ride and the seamless feel of the pedal-assist boosting every pedal stroke.”
Metro Mobility is already working with the city to identify a second Worcester location for another 10-bike station. In the meantime, Blooston said, they’ll track ridership and other data — and if the pilot is successful, expansion could follow.
“Earlier today all 10 bikes were out on rentals,” Blooston said. “It’s off to a great start.”
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