After a temporary service suspension due to an operations facility fire, Capital Metro officials announced that its rentable electric-assist bike service Bikeshare will return in phases beginning Aug. 11.
The details
According to an Austin Transportation and Public Works news release, Bikeshare was suspended after a fire May 23 at CapMetro's operations facility that damaged the system's charging infrastructure.
CapMetro pulled all bikes from docking stations and suspended service following the fire, saying it was conducting a thorough investigation before restoring service, as previously reported by Community Impact.
An Austin Fire Department incident report obtained by Community Impact shows the fire began in a room used to store batteries, most believed to be e-bike batteries. Crews removed the batteries and submerged them in water, and no injuries were reported, per the report.
Now, nearly one-third of the Bikeshare fleet will be available for riding by Aug. 18 in priority areas with the highest customer demand, including The University of Texas.
CapMetro installed several new electrified stations during this suspension, including two at the UT campus, per the release.
Officials also said that while all Bikeshare stations will reopen, there will be limited bike availability as the agency continues to rebuild the charging and battery infrastructure. Customers are encouraged to use the CapMetro Bikeshare app to find available bikes before going to a station.
Looking ahead
All Bikeshare service is expected to be fully restored by the end of 2026, per the release.
Something to note
Current Bikeshare fares are as follows:
