TAMPA, Fla. — The city of Tampa will launch a new electronic bike voucher program to help provide reliable transportation for people in the community.
The new e-Bike voucher program will start at the end of March and is also aimed to give people in the area a low-cost transportation option, the city of Tampa said in a news release Monday.
Getting an e-Bike is a lot cheaper than a car, but it'll still cost you a pretty penny.
"The price range is generally $1,500 to $3,000," Austin Britt with the City of Tampa MicroMobility Department said.
To get more people in the e-biker seat, the city will soon be offering 180 vouchers -- totaling $170,000 to help in paying for your new electric bike.
"The class one standard vouchers are $500 and $1,000, for the class one and cargo bike, and then for the income qualified it's 1000 to $2000," Britt said.
The vouchers will be awarded through a lottery system. If you get one, that means you pay for just a portion of the overall bike costs. The bikes must be purchased through a local bike retailer the city is partnering with.
"It really just allows another way for people who cannot afford a car to be able to go farther," Tampa city councilor Lynn Hurtak said.
Transportation costs in Tampa surpass the national average. This grant program will help curb those costs for people opting for two wheels instead of four.
"We are, as a percentage of median household income, one of the most costly transportation markets," Vik Bhide, director of the Tampa Mobility Department, said. "Over 20% of the average median household income goes towards transportation, that average is closer to 15%-16% nationally.
This program is an expansion of the city's existing micro-mobility options, including rental e-scooters and e-bikes.
"The program's goal is not just to reach people with financial constraints, but to offer a wider range of options for anyone looking for efficient and sustainable ways to get around the city," the city of Tampa said in a statement.
To learn more about the city's current e-Bike voucher program, click here.
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.