Lyft acquired the bike-share service Motivate. The transaction was completed on November 30, 2018, giving Lyft control of one of the largest urban bike-sharing platforms in the United States at the time.
Motivate operated or supported major systems including Citi Bike in New York, Ford GoBike in the San Francisco Bay Area, Divvy in Chicago, Bluebikes in Boston, and Capital Bikeshare in Washington, D.C. These programs operated under contracts with cities and transportation agencies, so the acquisition involved more than simply buying bicycles: it also brought teams, technology, assets, and operating agreements.
Lyft viewed the deal as an expansion beyond car rides. Bikes and scooters could serve short trips and connect passengers to public transit, helping Lyft present itself as a broader transportation platform. Motivate’s services were subsequently integrated into Lyft’s bikes-and-scooters offerings in many markets.
The acquisition is sometimes confused with Uber’s purchase of JUMP, another bike and scooter company. Uber did not acquire Motivate; Lyft was the buyer.