In August 2017, one year after the launch of WeHo Pedals, West Hollywood City Hall staff touted the nearly 14,000 trips taken on the bike share program totaling more than 20,000 miles, and saw potential growth for its user base.

Despite some initial signs of growth after its first year, West Hollywood will end its current bike share program due to lagging ridership. (photo courtesy of Jon Viscott/city of West Hollywood)

But on Dec. 3, the West Hollywood City Council voted 4-1 to end the program in its current form, citing expenses that far exceeded revenues, a lack of riders and the bicycles themselves for not being “user-friendly.” The city will explore other possibilities, including a dockless bike share program.

“WeHo Pedals, as we know, has not been as successful as we would have liked it to be,” Councilwoman Lauren Meister said.

West Hollywood partnered with CycleHop in 2016 to offer 150 bicycles at 21 stations in and around the city, with the goal of forming a larger network through the westside. After WeHo Pedals’ first year, operating expenses totaled $344,750 per year, compared to $133,771 income.

A city staff report said that revenue from user fees has been lower than anticipated, and CycleHop hasn’t been able to find a systemwide sponsor. The city will exercise a provision in its contract with CycleHop that allows it to terminate the agreement with 30 days’ notice.

“For me, the overriding concern was the lack of participation, generally, that caused this to have a significant amount of cost that was not picked up either by advertising or by use,” Councilman John D’Amico said.

He added that the bicycles, which are GPS-enabled smart bikes, were relatively heavy and tough to ride uphill.

Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath said the lack of bicycle lanes throughout the city may be a deterrent to prospective riders, many of whom don’t feel comfortable riding along the side of the road.

“They don’t feel safe without being in a bike lane,” she said.

“While the program’s goals of encouraging alternate modes of transportation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are important priorities for the city, there may be alternatives that could accomplish the same goals while being more user-friendly, more accessible and more cost-effective,” read a report from the city’s Community and Legislative Affairs Division.

The city’s electric scooter ban, however, will remain in effect. Under the prohibition, scooter companies are fined for scooters left in public areas within West Hollywood. Sixteen citations have been issued to electric scooter companies by the city of West Hollywood, according to the city’s Code Compliance Division. Under the city’s enforcement policy, one citation can include multiple scooters.

In Beverly Hills, electric scooter company Bird filed a lawsuit to challenge the city’s more aggressive ban that fines the companies for leaving the scooters out in public, and also allows Beverly Hills police to issue citations to riders. As of the end of November, Beverly Hills police have impounded 1,864 scooters, according to Lt. Elisabeth Albanese, department spokeswoman. The City Council voted in July to institute a ban of up to six months as it considered possible regulations and safety concerns. No citations have been issued to riders.

Pilot programs implemented in Los Angeles and Santa Monica include dockless bicycles and electric scooters.

West Hollywood Mayor John Duran said that a reinvented bike share program doesn’t necessarily have to make a profit; it could be in the mold of the WeHo Pickup, a free shuttle service subsidized by the city. Duran was the lone vote against ending the current bike share program. He said he wanted more information from city staff before making a decision.