Red Bike has announced the next phase of its Go Pass equity program through a new partnership with Shelterhouse.
With this partnership, Shelterhouse will serve as a community-based access point for eligible riders to receive Red Bike access. Shelterhouse Staff will manage eligibility verification, enrollment, RFID card distribution and basic oversight for participating clients. This shared services collaboration is designed to strengthen long-term access to affordable and active transportation for income-eligible riders while deepening connections with trusted community partners.
Red Bike is Cincinnati’s non-profit station-based bike share system that connects people to places and each other by providing a reliable, low-cost and green transportation option.
“Shelterhouse is excited to partner with Red Bike to help remove one more barrier for people working to rebuild their lives. Reliable transportation can make the difference between getting to a job, keeping a medical appointment or staying connected to housing and support services,” said Shelterhouse Executive Director Arlene Nolan. “This collaboration helps our guests stay mobile, engaged and moving forward. Partnerships like this show what’s possible when community organizations work together to create real pathways out of homelessness.”
Since launching in 2018, the Go Pass program has become an essential part of Red Bike’s mission to provide equitable, low-cost mobility across Greater Cincinnati. Regularly recognized as one of the highest ridership bike share equity programs in the country, the discounted membership program allows residents living at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines to receive Red Bike access for $5 a month.
The Go Pass program serves hundreds of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky residents annually and provides access to jobs, healthcare, education and essential services. Go Pass riders accounted for 54% of all trips taken across the Red Bike network in 2025, totaling 72,604 rides.
Shelterhouse is one of the Cincinnati region’s leading nonprofit providers for housing and homelessness services. Through emergency shelter, permanent housing and case management, Shelterhouse works alongside individuals experiencing instability to support long term independence. By integrating the Go Pass into Shelterhouse services, the partnership creates a coordinated approach to mobility and connectivity. Red Bike will continue to provide training, reporting tools, rider support and overall program management.
As the program has grown over the past several years, outside of foundational support from Interact for Health and critical growth funding from the Better Bike Share Partnership’s Living Lab program, Red Bike has continued to invest its own administrative, operational and financial resources to ensure riders can enroll and participate with as few barriers as possible. As a nonprofit organization operating nearly 80 stations and 600 bicycles across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, Red Bike must balance equitable access with financial sustainability. The shared oversight reduces administrative strain, strengthens reporting and oversight and creates a scalable framework that can be replicated with additional social service agencies in the future.
Red Bike is currently exploring funding opportunities to support the expansion of the Shelterhouse pilot to serve up to 100 Shelterhouse guests. Following the pilot, participating agencies can fund Go Pass memberships through mobility support budgets and grant resources, ensuring that their clients have equitable access to active and multi-modal transportation.
As part of strengthening the program’s structure, Red Bike is transitioning away from accepting cash payments, alongside phasing out in shop “Go Hours.” The online enrollment option and eligibility requirements are not changing with this transition and shared services pilot. This approach will allow users two streamlined and simplified pathways to receive access: online enrollment with a credit/debit payment through the BCycle app, and in-person assistance through Shelterhouse, with eventual expansion with additional partner organizations.
The transition away from accepting cash and in-store assistance will be phased and clearly communicated to users, with support available throughout the entire process. These changes will be implemented ahead of peak riding season to ensure riders continue to have reliable access during the system’s busiest months.
By working more closely with community-based social service agencies and organizations now and in the future, Red Bike aims to ensure that the Go Pass remains impactful and enduring to preserve access and support riders for years to come.