Forum Discussion

Hersh's avatar
Hersh
Resourceful Rider
2 months ago

When are drop off points calculated, pick up or drop off?

Hi,

I have been a CitiBike Angel since late summer, and my understanding of the point system has been that points are determined at the time I check out a bike. Specifically, if a docking station is worth +3 points when I check out the bike, I would still earn those 3 points even if the station’s status changes (e.g., to -3) during my ride.

However, I’ve noticed discrepancies in practice. It seemed like every day I was being informed that I had dropped off at a “pick-up” station, resulting in lost multipliers and no points. I assumed this was due to crossing the 15-minute threshold and the app not updating quickly enough to reflect the station’s status accurately.

After exchanging emails with CitiBike support, I’ve been informed (see below) that point assignments are actually based on the status of the docking station at the time of drop-off, not pick-up. This directly conflicts with what many of my fellow Angels on Reddit insist is the correct understanding.

CitiBike Support Response (2nd clarification):

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your understanding of how the station status and point assignments should work. I appreciate the opportunity to clarify this process for you.

The point assignments and station status are indeed based on the conditions at the time the bike is docked, not when it is initially checked out. This means if the station transitions to a “pick-up” status during your ride, the system will reflect that change when the bike is returned.

I understand how this might feel inconsistent with what you were told previously, especially if this has led to unexpected outcomes during your rides. Your feedback highlights the importance of ensuring clear communication about how our system works. I’ll make sure this is passed along to our team for review.

If you’d like, I can also assist in reviewing your recent rides to see if there’s any further explanation for the behavior you’ve observed. Just let me know!

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and I’m here if you have any additional questions or concerns.

I hope this clarification can help resolve the confusion and ensure that expectations are aligned with how the system currently operates.

citibike
  • aahles1's avatar
    aahles1
    Casual Commenter
    30 days ago

    My understanding and experience has been that even if your ride extends into another 15 minute block, the points are awarded from the map as it was when you started the ride.  Sometimes when you're close to the end of a 15 minute block, say 8:14, you may have indeed unlocked the bike at that time, but sometimes the system doesn't acknowledge the ride starting for a few more seconds (sometimes 30 seconds).  Then it would kick you to the next 15 minute block map.

    • Remco's avatar
      Remco
      Bike Angels Team
      22 days ago

      This is correct. Your points only get frozen at the time the bike gets released, not when you scan the QR code or insert your keyfob. That means that if you unlock a bike close to the rollover time, the actual start time can fall into the new block.

      If you do unlock a bike close to the rollover window, you should check your start station after the bike has unlocked. If the station changed to drop off points, you can return a bike to the same station without breaking your streak.

    • Jess's avatar
      Jess
      Bike Angels Team
      24 days ago

      Thanks for posting to share your experience aahles1 !

      It's true that points for a given ride are locked in for the duration of that ride. So, the score at time of unlock is the score for that ride. If either of you notice a significant delay, connect with us so we can investigate as needed. If you do suspect a bug, illustrating your app experience with photos or video can be super helpful as we investigate an issue.