Port Bikeshare is Newburyport’s public bike share system. With 5 stations, 23 geared cruiser bikes and 2 recumbent trikes, Port Bikeshare connects downtown Newburyport, the MBTA Commuter Rail station, and neighborhoods along the Clipper City Rail Trail. As additional funding becomes available, the goal is to expand the system to 30-33 bikes and 6 stations in 2026, and eventually to 45-50 bikes and 9 stations. (For more about the bike share plans, go to https://newburyportlivablestreets.org/bikeshare.)
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost to rent a Port Bikeshare bike is $3.00 for the 30 minutes of use, plus 10 cents per minute beyond the first 30 minutes. (For example, a 45-minute rental will cost $3.00 plus $1.50 = $4.50.)
A monthly membership option is also available for $30 a month, which provides 30 free minutes of riding each time you unlock the bike. You will save money with a monthly membership if you use the bikeshare at least 10 times in a month. (That could be as few as 5 round trips a month if you break the trip – for example, if you park the bike downtown or at the train station in between trip segments.)
Where Are the Bikes?
Currently there are five Port Bikeshare stations along the Clipper City Rail Trail:
••• Off Parker Street opposite the MBTA Commuter Rail Station
••• At the rail trail crossing on Washington Street
••• In Market Landing Park between the swings and Custom House Way
••• Next to the Atlantic Yacht Club
••• Off High Street at March’s Hill
The map below shows the locations of these stations. You can rent a bike at any station and return it to the same station or another one.
In addition to these five stations, there are two designated “overflow” stations that use existing City bike racks. The overflow stations appear in the app as “Custom House Way” (near the Market Landing Park East station) and “Parker Street Overflow” (near the Parker Street/MBTA station). If the main station is full when you want to end your ride, you can return your bike at the nearby overflow station using the cable lock on the bike to secure it to the rack.
Vehicle parking is available at or near all stations:
| Parker River / MBTA | On-street spaces on Boston Way (free) |
| Washington Street | On-street spaces on Washington Street (free) |
| Market Landing Park East | Municipal parking lots on both sides of park (paid) |
| American Yacht Club | Parking lot opposite Wastewater Treatment Plant (free) |
| March’s Hill | On-street spaces on High Street (free) |
What Kinds of Bikes Are Available?
The standard pedal bikes have solid tires (no flats!), three gears, a front basket, front and rear brakes, and front and rear lights. Seat heights are fully adjustable. These bikes are available at all stations in the system
The recumbent trikes are based at the Market Landing Park East station. The recumbent trikes were purchased by the Newburyport Commission on Disabilities and are especially for those who have challenges riding a standard bike. However, they are available for anyone to use.
To see if a recumbent is available, click on the station icon in the Movatic app and look for bikes 8619 and 8620.
How Do I Use the System?
You rent a bike using your smartphone and the Movatic app. It’s really very simple.
Before your first rental, you have to download the Movatic app from the appropriate app store and set up an account with your payment information:
Once you have the app set up on your smartphone, it’s a simply process to rent a bike. On the app, you can look at the map to see how many bikes are at a particular station:
When you are ready to rent a bike, you use the app to scan the QR code or enter the bike number. This unlocks the bike and starts your ride. You can rent two bikes at a time.
When you want to end your ride, take these five steps:
1 – Return your bike to any of the 5 designated stations
2 – Open the Movatic app and press “End Rental”
3 – When instructed by the app, slide the ring lock through the spokes until it locks
4 – Insert the cable lock pin into the ring lock
5 – Use the app to take a photo showing the entire bike.
After you’ve taken the photo, your rental is ended.
[Note: There are “overflow” stations near the Market Landing Park and Parker Street/MBTA stations where you can end a rental if the primary station is full. These are shown in the Movatic app.]
Find Port Bikeshare on Social Media
Support the System – Become a Sponsor!
The low cost to users is made possible by by a variety of grants and donations, including a three-year federal grant and generous grants from the Coastal Trails Coalition, the Institution for Savings Charitable Foundation, the Mary Alice Arakelian Foundation, and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.
Additional funding is needed to build out the bikeshare system. The City is continuing to work with Tandem Mobility (the system operator) to identify and secure grants, donations and sponsorships to fully fund the pilot program. Local businesses and organizations who would like to support this initiative can find information on sponsorship opportunities at this page.
Have a Question or Suggestion?
To report a problem with your rental, please use the option within the Movatic app.
For general questions about the Port Bikeshare program, email us at portbikeshare@gmail.com.
Newburyport Livable Streets 