Soon You'll Be Able To Rent Divvys With Your Ventra App

By Stephen Gossett in News on Oct 27, 2016 3:47PM

The city’s very popular, recently expanded bikeshare program, Divvy, will soon be better integrated to the city’s transit system at large.

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-3rd) announced earlier this month that a $400,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration will incorporate the Ventra app with the Divvy rental program.

The development funds will be directed to the CTA, who will helm the project in cooperation with the Chicago Department of Transportation.

The planned advances will allow users to map station locations, check bike and return-slot availability and use the Ventra app to pay for Divvy rentals, according to a release.

“Giving this bike sharing system and other creative transportation alternatives a boost just makes sense. It’s good for the health of the region, the environment, and helps address the ongoing challenges that come with congestion,” Lipinski said in a statement.

Michael Claffey, spokesperson for CDOT, told Chicagoist that the department does not yet have a timetable. “Divvy is working with CTA and Ventra to roll it out, but it will be a little while before we have details as to when,” he said in an email.

Biking-advocacy organization Active Transportation Alliance applauded the grant and Vetnra incorporation. “We hope to see even further integration of different Chicago transportation options,” ATA wrote in a blog post.

This year, Divvy added 85 docking/rental stations, for a total of 560 in the city of Chicago while aslo expanding into Oak Park and Evanston.