NABSA 2025 in Montréal: Insights and Impact from a Landmark Edition

Each year, the North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association (NABSA) brings together public agencies, private operators, and industry experts to connect, reflect, and collaborate on the future of shared micromobility. As the only conference of its kind on the continent, NABSA has become a central gathering point for the sector, a space where ideas move as fast as the innovation that drives them.

This year, the conference took place in Montréal, a city that holds special meaning for Lyft Urban Solutions. Not only is Montréal a global model for cycling, it’s also where we powered our very first bikeshare system, BIXI, recently recognized by TIME as one of the 25 most iconic inventions of the past 100 years. A pioneer in shared micromobility, BIXI was the first system of its kind in North America, and continues to inspire cities worldwide.

As Presenting Sponsor, Lyft Urban Solutions was proud to renew its commitment to NABSA and to the growing community of public and private partners shaping urban mobility. With over 250 attendees from across the continent, NABSA 2025 was a chance to deepen relationships with partners, explore new collaborations, and celebrate the collective progress made in building more sustainable, inclusive urban mobility systems. Here’s a look back at some of the key moments and insights from this year’s event.

Key Conversations Shaping Micromobility’s Future

This year’s NABSA conference surfaced some of the most timely and essential topics shaping the future of shared micromobility. From electrification to equity, data, and public-private collaboration, the conversations reflected the complexity of building systems that are not only functional, but resilient, inclusive, and scalable.

The Opening Plenary offered a moment to reflect on how far shared micromobility has come, and where it’s headed next. Among the speakers, Michael Brous, Head of Lyft Urban Solutions, shared his perspective on the evolution of bikeshare in North America, and the key ingredients needed to build systems that last. He highlighted electrification as a major turning point, expanding what’s possible for urban mobility. To build lasting systems and make bikeshare available to a growing number of people, he emphasized the need for equitable access and strong infrastructure embedded in long-term city planning.

That message continued in the panel “Wheels of Change: A Decade of Shared Micromobility Innovation”, moderated by Mark Roberts, Senior Director, Business Development at Lyft Urban Solutions, which brought together five of the continent’s most established systems, each with more than a decade of experience: BIXI in Montreal, Bluebikes in Boston, Capital Bikeshare in Washington DC, Citi Bike in New York and MiBici Guadalajara. The conversation offered a rare long view: from how systems evolve through policy shifts and equipment upgrades, to how collaboration, modularity, and infrastructure planning have helped scale ridership and resilience. It was a clear demonstration that while each city’s path is different, their challenges and opportunities are remarkably aligned. (You can read the full recap of the discussion on Zag Daily.)

Electrification at the Heart of the Conversation

Among the many themes explored throughout the conference, one stood out: electrification. As demand for ebikes continues to surge across North America, cities are under pressure to scale infrastructure and operations without compromising on sustainability. According to NABSA’s 2025 Shared Micromobility State of the Industry Report, 66% of shared micromobility trips were taken on electric devices in 2024. In markets operated by Lyft, that figure climbs even higher, with 73% of riders in 2025 preferring an ebike over a classic bike. As cities respond by expanding their electric fleets, the challenge becomes not just scaling up, but doing so sustainably.

Laura Krull, Policy & Partnerships Manager at Lyft Urban Solutions, moderated the panel “Powering the Future: Designing Shared Micromobility Systems for Sustainable Cities”. Panelists from àVélo in Québec City, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), and Bike Share Toronto shared insights on what it takes to electrify responsibly, from adapting infrastructure and charging strategies, to creating regulatory frameworks that support long-term planning.

“Behind every successful large ebike deployment, there’s a complex puzzle of charging, rebalancing, regulations, and funding,” said Laura Krull. “People love ebikes — and they’re riding more than ever. The challenge now is making sure our systems can keep up with that demand in a way that’s smart, efficient, and sustainable. In Québec City — a fully electric bikeshare system — the introduction of charging stations brought a dramatic improvement: previously, over 30% of the fleet was regularly unavailable due to low or depleted batteries. Today, that figure has dropped to just 2-3%, ensuring far greater availability for riders.”

As the industry grows and electrification accelerates, sustainability is becoming an ever more critical conversation, not just about vehicles and infrastructure, but about the entire lifecycle of the systems we operate. That’s why the panel “Fully Charged: Electric Shared Micromobility Batteries” felt especially timely. Joshua Johnson, Senior Manager, Transit and Micromobility Policy at Lyft Urban Solutions, joined other industry voices and partners from Call2Recycle to explore the environmental dimensions of battery management, including strategies for extending battery life, recycling components, and reducing the overall footprint of shared electric fleets.

These discussions — along with many others that sparked thoughtful, forward-looking exchange — were some of the conversations that truly defined the spirit of this year’s conference. Taking part in them reinforces our belief that shaping the future of micromobility requires shared knowledge, active collaboration, and a strong industry voice.

On the Ground with Partners

Alongside our on-stage contributions, we were glad to connect with attendees at our booth and showcase the new Lyft Astro ebike. Revealed earlier this year in June, the Lyft Astro ebike is our newest and most advanced model, designed to meet the evolving needs of shared micromobility systems. Built on the success of the widely adopted Lyft Cosmo and EFIT ebikes, each ridden hundreds of millions of times across North America, Lyft Astro is a natural evolution, tailored for markets equipped with charging station networks. (Read more about the Lyft Astro model here.) Visitors had the chance to test the new model and get a closer look at its key features. 

“There’s nothing like seeing people ride our bikes for the first time, that’s where the impact becomes real,” said Caroline Samponaro, Head of External Affairs at Lyft Urban Solutions and Board Member of NABSA. “It’s a powerful way to understand how design translates into real-world experience, and it pushes us to keep improving every detail.”

We also had the pleasure of visiting the BIXI Montréal facilities on the final day of the conference, as they opened their doors to NABSA attendees for a behind-the-scenes look at their operations. It was a powerful reminder of how far our industry has come since the early days of bikeshare in Montréal. BIXI shared a few photos from the visit here.

Thank you to BIXI for the warm welcome and for opening your doors to the NABSA community. And to NABSA, thank you for bringing together the people and ideas driving our industry forward. We left the conference inspired by the conversations, connections, and momentum, and more committed than ever to shaping what’s next, together.