Discover how individuals are making money by strategically redistributing bikes in New York City’s bike-sharing program.
Citi Bike Scam: How Mark Epperson Made $6,000 a Month
In the bustling city of New York, Mark Epperson found a way to make some extra cash through a clever hustle involving Citi Bikes. As an actor living on the Upper West Side, Epperson used his downtime as an understudy in an Off Broadway play to engage in this lucrative scheme. By borrowing a Citi Bike, riding it one block, waiting 15 minutes, and then returning it, Epperson was able to earn up to $6,000 a month. This hustle, while profitable, raised ethical questions for Epperson, who acknowledged that some may view him as a “vulture” for exploiting the system.
Citi Bike, a bike-sharing program operated by Lyft, offers 27,000 bikes across New York City, Hoboken, and Jersey City. Despite its convenience, users often encounter issues such as full docking stations or a lack of available bikes. To address this imbalance, Citi Bike employs strategies like deploying workers to redistribute bikes using panel trucks. Additionally, the Bike Angels program, launched in 2016, allows users to earn points by moving bikes to high-demand locations. These points can be exchanged for rewards like water bottles, backpacks, membership discounts, and gift cards. In a city known for its competitive spirit, some users, known as Power Angels, began competing to earn the most points in this program.
The Citi Bike scam orchestrated by Epperson sheds light on the challenges faced by bike-sharing programs in urban environments. While these programs offer a convenient and eco-friendly transportation option, issues like bike availability and docking station capacity can hinder the user experience. By exploiting these shortcomings, individuals like Epperson have found a way to turn a profit, albeit through questionable means. As bike-sharing programs continue to evolve and expand, addressing these challenges will be crucial to ensuring a seamless and efficient service for all users.
Source: The NY Times
