Chicagoans took their first rides on the Divvy bike share system this weekend, making more than 4,000 trips in the first weekend of operations.

“Bike sharing is another transportation option available to ensure that Chicagoans can safely and efficiently travel around the city's neighborhoods,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Our strong transportation infrastructure is a key factor in the quality of life that attracts businesses and families to Chicago, and we will continue to improve our system.”

Divvy will feature thousands of bikes at hundreds of stations across Chicago neighborhoods.  Each station has a touchscreen kiosk, station map, and a docking system that releases bikes using a Member key or ride code.  More than 1,700 Chicagoans have already signed up for Divvy Annual Memberships at DivvyBikes.com.

The system is dubbed “Divvy” to reflect the nature of bike share, where members “divide and share” the use of the bikes.  The bicycles’ distinctive “Chicago Blue” paint is the same color as the stripes on the Chicago city flag, and will provide a high level of visibility on the street.

“Divvy gives Chicagoans and visitors access to a bike when they want one, without having to worry about storage or maintenance.  It also leverages Chicago’s public transit system to help commuters complete the first or last few miles of their trip,” said Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner (CDOT) Gabe Klein. “Divvy will change the way we move around Chicago.”

Of the 4,123 bike trips made from Friday morning to Sunday night, 3,225 were made by annual members, and 898 were from customers who purchased 24-Hour Passes.

This week, the newly launched system will total 75 neighborhood stations and 750 bikes on the street.  Divvy will quickly build to 300 stations and 3,000 bikes by the end of August, and 400 neighborhood locations by next spring.

“With Divvy, Chicago continues its rise to the top of the nation’s most bicycle friendly cities,” said Mia Birk, Vice President at Alta Bicycle Share, the company that operates Divvy. “Along with its creation of a network of protected bike lanes and trails and outreach and education programs, Chicago understands the power of bicycle transportation to add value to urban daily life.”

Riders can purchase $75 Annual Memberships or $7 24-Hour Passes, which allow riders unlimited trips in that period. The first 30 minutes of every trip are included in the cost of the Membership or Pass, and incremental fees apply to trips that exceed 30 minutes. Annual Members use a personal key used to quickly unlock bikes from any station.

Chicagoans can find out more about the system through social media on Twitter at @DivvyBikes and on Facebook at facebook.com/DivvyBikes.