Is the Bike Angel, E-Bike System Unfair

Question

Is the Bike Angel, E-Bike System Unfair - It's not really a question, because it is... unfair &nbsp;&nbsp;If you’ve looked at the MoreBikes NYC stats, you’ll see eBikes dominate usage in New York, which means eBikes need to be redistributed the most.https://www.morebikes.nyc/daily_stats/Here’s the thing...The Bike Angels are helping to balance the system, but we are being charged for rebalancing the most popular bikes - eBikes&nbsp;If you're a Bike Angel trying to earn points, those fees eat into your rewards big time, so you're helping Lyft make the system run better... and paying them for the privilege.Wim posted a matrix that show it clearly:Is it worth returning an ebike/scooter to a dock? | Bike AngelsImagine your boss offers you a salary, but says you can only shop at their own overpriced (.18 cents a minute) store to do the job.&nbsp;We’re happily doing the work, but we're forced to "buy the supplies" needed to get the job done, from Lyft.Sure, Lyft - CitiBike, Divvy, will never, ever change this, but it’s still awfully unfair.In NYC, the bikes have to be docked, Chicago's Divvy eBikes can be left out of station, which makes it even more crucial to hunt down and pick up the abandoned, and obscurely located ebikes that are left everywhere. &nbsp;We shouldn’t be punished financially for helping.Okay, just don't move eBikes.And although it will cut into the fun, at close to a 23% penalty in total points for the day,&nbsp; I may just start doing that.Problem solved.

bananablack · Answer

The trick is to redistribute all the classic bikes at a particular station first. then once they're all removed the e-bikes are of no cost to redistribute. At least that's the way it goes in NYC.

leslie52 · Answer

If there are no traditional bikes available, you just need to set your preferences to low-assist and they will not charge you to move the ebikes.&nbsp; But as BananaBlack mentioned. you need to move the classic bikes first.&nbsp; You are right though...they have not really thought this out because bike angels tend to move the classic bikes and when the stations flip after fifteen minutes, one station is left with all the ebikes and the other will primarily have classic bikes...especially if more than one angel is working in the same area.

jm · Answer

Thanks&nbsp; we read your post on the subject. It was good. From what I know, unfortunately, it doesn’t operate like that in Chicago. And remember,&nbsp; Chicago's eBikes can be docked out of station, anywhere. Sometimes left in locations, that due to the road configurations, take a great many minutes to return to a station. Which means the fees will easily surpass the points earned.&nbsp; The eBike can sit there for days. Same with the scooters which are even more expensive. Chicago's lakefront is a no scooter zone, and because the scooters are automatically disabled near the lakefront paths, and people often push deep into the no-go zones&nbsp; despite the reduced power, many scooters are finally abandone deep in the no-go zones without power.&nbsp; So, we have to push them out with difficulty to an area outside the no-go zone. There are many scooters abandon this way. Maybe Lyft knows what they're doing, they have all the statistics they need, but in Chicago, we see a lot of the same e-Bikes left around for days.Thanks&nbsp;

leslie52 · Answer

That is the most ridiculous solution I have heard.&nbsp; By the time you move all those heavy ebikes to new spots, the station flips and the points are no longer available.&nbsp; Plus, there are often not enough spots to move them to if the stations is relatively full with ebikes and the traditional ones are in the back row.&nbsp; Last night I wasted a lot of time and energy when a station showed 2 traditional bikes...when all the traditional bikes had red lights AND some of the ebikes next to them were out of service (and could not be moved to force the traditional bikes to turn green).&nbsp; Many of the docks at the station were broken as well.&nbsp; Every single traditional bike had a red light, yet when removing an ebike the pedal assist notification did not appear on the ebikes.&nbsp; You only have one minute to redock the ebikes without being charged, which was quite difficult given the fact that so many of the docks were broken at the station.&nbsp; Plus there is no way to report the broken docks or the discrepancy to Lyft.&nbsp; They have eliminated the ability to text for help for random issues with bikes.&nbsp; It appears that Lyft has made huge cutbacks in its support staff.

jm · Answer

One one thing is different... people I know that have never moved eBikes, are now and again redistributing ebikes and scooters because of some of the problems with finding the mechanical bikes, damage to the mechanical bikes, and some reasons I can't remember, but it was significant to hear that they have broken down after all these years and have moved any ebike or scooter at all.&nbsp; so if that trend continues, 23% less point in a day for the same amount of work, but much more valuable work for the system, seeing as how popular the ebikes are.Also, if I'm giving up 23% of my points moving e-bikes—which I am—I have to rethink the whole process and stop focusing on the clock or the number of bikes I’m moving. If I’m getting the same amount of points at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many minutes or bikes I’ve moved, because that 23% eats significantly into the profits. The only real difference is that physically, it’s easier to move e-bikes—but you’re not getting as much exercise.