The Divvy deal that stalled over scooters is back in committee Friday. What a yes would lock in through 2033

The City Council's Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety meets at 12:30 p.m. Friday with the Mayor's amended Divvy agreement on its agenda, five weeks after members put off a vote on it (O2026-0028871; committee page).

Why it matters: Divvy is the City's bike and scooter share, run by Lyft. The ordinance would extend Lyft's contract from January 2028 to Jan. 23, 2033, and set prices, fleet size and where competitors' scooters can go through early 2033.

What the deal does

From the ordinance and reporting by the Sun-Times and Block Club Chicago:

• Term: Amendment 10 to the 2013 operator agreement, using the extension the 2019 amendment allowed. It needs Council approval.
• Fleet: about 4,000 more e-bikes and scooters and 4,000 more docks.
• Prices: non-members get 50% off rides that start or end on the South or West Sides; annual membership prices are frozen; scooter prices drop; increases are capped for the life of the contract. Divvy for Everyone, the discounted membership program, continues.
• Parking: "virtual stations" at public bike racks, so riders can end a trip when the nearby dock is full; a new classic bike with a cable lock.
• Jobs: more than 100 union jobs, the Sun-Times reported.
• Money: the ordinance says all system revenue goes to the system's costs and other federally eligible transportation projects.

Why it stalled

The deal expands the "core area," Rogers Park to 79th Street along the lakefront, where Divvy scooters get placement priority. Other licensed scooter companies can still operate there, but only 4% of their fleets, a Department of Transportation official told the committee, Block Club reported.

Lime, the City's only other scooter operator, called that a "de facto monopoly." It says it gave about 6.1 million rides in Chicago in 2025, all on scooters; Divvy logged 6.86 million on bikes and scooters, Block Club reported. Lime's objections were laid out by Streetsblog Chicago before the Oct. 9 meeting.

At that meeting, a majority voted to defer. Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) pushed for the delay and questioned how Lime could keep operating. Committee chair Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) voted against waiting, saying the core area would "rebalance" scooter placement toward the public system and recalling problems when nine scooter companies operated in the city, Block Club reported.

What our records add

Our record page shows the ordinance was introduced Sept. 23 and held in committee Oct. 9. Lyft's registered lobbyists reported lobbying on Divvy operations and the contract extension in City filings covering the second half of 2025 and the second and third quarters of 2026. Those lobbyists, who represent other clients too, have given to many alderpersons' campaigns, including committee members La Spata, Hopkins (2nd), Robinson (4th), Yancy (5th), Chico (10th) and Burnett (27th); our record page lists the amounts. Money near a vote is not evidence it influenced the vote.

What's next

If the committee recommends it Friday, the ordinance could go to the full Council on Dec. 8. The committee's agenda also includes dozens of routine parking and traffic items.

Sources: Block Club Chicago: Divvy rides to or from South or West sides would be half off, Sept. 25, 2026.