Atlanta City Council members are looking to extend the city’s popular e-bike voucher program.
Council member Marci Collier Overstreet introduced legislation this week that would set aside additional funding to continue the program that helped more than 500 Atlantans buy e-bikes last year.
The first round was funded with $1 million from the City Council, and the legislation proposes $1 million more to help meet the demand. More than 11,000 residents applied for the rebates in 2024.
A February report from the Atlanta Regional Commission, which oversaw the program in conjunction with Propel ATL, a transit advocacy group, found that Atlantans who received a voucher were taking 40% fewer car trips to work or school.
Three-quarters of the grants were set aside for low- and moderate-income residents earning at or below 80% of the region’s median household income, currently $63,950 for one person and $91,350 for a four-person family. Many recipients said they would not have purchased an e-bike if not for the voucher.
Income-qualified applicants received rebates ranging from $1,500 to $2,000, depending on whether they purchased a standard or cargo e-bike. The rebate for other applicants ranged from $500 to $1,000.
The rebates generated at least $1.2 million in sales across a dozen locally owned bike shops in Atlanta, ARC found.
In its report, ARC recommended extending the program but lowering the size of the rebate so that more people can receive one.
The proposal before the council does not specify rebate levels or identify a source for the money.
The city faces a projected $33 million deficit for the current budget year that Mayor Andre Dickens administration is trying to eliminate through layoffs and departmental cuts. Dickens’ 2026 spending proposal recommends increased general fund spending but council members have pushed back.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
