Record rides, real partnerships: Bay Wheels shows what Big Game week can unlock

When San Francisco hosted the Big Game last month, Bay Wheels riders showed up in record numbers — over 110,000 rides in a single week, the 4th highest in program history outside of peak season (which is May to October). That result wasn't accidental. It was the product of a targeted sponsorship activation with Google Gemini, a coordinated push across the regional transit ecosystem, and a team that brought it all together. Here's what that looked like in practice, and what it means for cities hosting major events.

A collaboration built on more than visibility

Powering part of that week's activity was a sponsored collaboration with Google Gemini. Together, Bay Wheels, Lyft Ads and Google Gemini turned a major cultural moment into a direct rider benefit and a compelling brand platform. Gemini-branded decals rolled out across the Bay Wheels fleet, and riders could unlock a discounted ride using the coupon code GOOGLEGEMINI on either a pedal bike or an ebike.

With any major event, sponsorship is only as valuable as the engagement it generates. This activation went beyond logo placement by putting Google Gemini's brand directly in the hands of riders at the moment they were making a trip decision. Bikeshare can deliver something most advertising channels cannot: a tangible, rider-facing brand experience at scale.

A record-breaking week for every type of rider

That engagement translated directly into ridership. The week of February 6th ranked among the highest ridership weeks ever recorded for Bay Wheels outside of peak season, with more than 110,000 total rides and a single day hitting over 17,000. Riders took more than 23,000 casual trips that week, showing that non-members turned to Bay Wheels for the convenience it offered throughout the city. Riders also chose ebikes for 79% of all trips, totalling over 87,000 rides.

The coupon data adds another layer to that picture. The GOOGLEGEMINI code was redeemed more than 8,000 times by +7,000 unique users, and 96% of those rides were on ebikes. Riders are typically accustomed to seeing promotions tied to pedal bikes, so access to a discounted ebike brought first-time ebike riders into the system and gave returning riders a reason to upgrade their usual trip. Even existing annual members increased their ebike usage during this period. Riders gravitate toward ebikes when the opportunity is there, and the data confirms it.

A campaign the whole city got behind

The impact of the campaign extended well beyond Bay Wheels' own channels. Transit partners promoted the coupon code across their networks, Adweek covered the activation, and SF Travel and Google Gemini each created and shared original content. 

That reach speaks to something worth noting. When transit agencies, media outlets, and city partners all choose to amplify the same activation, it's a sign that the offer resonated. The campaign grew because everyone involved had a reason to make it work.

Relying on a team you can trust

Executing a campaign of this scope in just over a week required printing new bike decals, installation on 6000+ bikes, a photoshoot, full content production, coupon setup, and promotional activations across multiple channels. That kind of turnaround is only possible when teams have the people, systems, vendor relationships, and institutional knowledge already in place.

Lyft Urban Solutions operates some of the largest bikeshare systems in North America, including Citi Bike, Capital Bikeshare, and Divvy. That breadth of experience means that when a city faces a high-demand moment, the tools, processes, and teams needed to respond are already there. The Big Game week was one example of what that looks like in practice: a system that experienced a surge in demand, supported a major brand collaboration, and kept riders moving throughout one of the busiest weeks the Bay Area has seen in years.