Latest news with #CitiBikes
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How To Make an Extra $6K a Month (It's as Easy as Riding a Bike)
If you live in New York, you've probably heard of Citi Bikes. It's an immensely popular bike-sharing program by Lyft that operates throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Hoboken and Jersey City. Read More: Find Out: The official website claims it's 'the best way to get around.' Considering there are plans to expand to 36,000 bikes and more than 2,000 Citi Bike stations in 2025, this might not be that far off base. Citi Bikes is more than the area's 'official bike share program.' It's also touted as a fun — and affordable — alternative to taxis, walking, and the whole public transit system. It's accessible, convenient and, for some people, a great way to earn additional income every month. Citi Bikes might not have been intended as a side hustle, but it's certainly become that way for the dedicated few who know how to game the system. The New York Times even called it 'the perfect New York hustle, a scam of subtle perfection. The way it works is simple: Borrow a Citi Bike. Ride it a block — just one. Wait about 15 minutes. Ride it back to where you started. As for earning money, that part's a little more complicated. Citi Bike's goal is to offer seamless pickup and drop-off of its bikes — but things don't always go as planned. Sometimes, someone going to work doesn't have a place to leave their bike when they arrive. Others can't find a bike when they need one during their lunch break or have errands to run with no time to waste. Read Next: However, the program costs roughly $220 a year, and subscribers are none too happy with paying that much only to find no available bikes. That's why Citi Bike started introducing various tactics and incentives to get bikes where they're most needed. One such program, introduced in 2016, is Bike Angels. This program essentially allows Citi Biker subscribers to move bikes themselves in exchange for points. After earning enough points, they can redeem them for a variety of things — from swag to membership discounts to gift cards. Some New Yorkers — later dubbed Power Angels — got so into this that they started competing with one another to win the most points. Here are just a few ways to earn points: 4 points for taking a bike from a full station 4 points for docking a bike at an empty station 3x points for moving 4+ bikes within 24 hours Each ride can earn as many as 24 points, which translates to a maximum of $4.80 per ride (with the 3x points). Cutting ahead a few years, these 'Power Angels' discovered how to game the system, analyzing the algorithm to see where they could earn the most and maximize those financial benefits. By working together, they found a way to exploit the system — called 'station flipping' — and make some pretty good money. Here's just one account of how, back in August 2024, seven Bike Angels made money riding bikes: Each one used a special blue key (awarded by Citi Bike) to unlock a bike at a docking station. They then rode it one block, docked it, ran back to their starting point to unlock another bike, and repeated the cycle. Knowing Lyft's algorithm resets every 15 minutes (meaning new point values get awarded for each bike move), the Angels created a system in which one station would be totally full while the other (just one block away) would be empty. Viewing the empty docks as being in high-demand, the algorithm offered $4.80 per bike returned to the empty station. The riders then changed direction (each riding their bikes from the full station to the empty one), earning the maximum incentive per ride. As far as side hustles go, it's inventive, but not without its challenges. That said, one particular Bike Angel, known as Tommy, was said to have earned around $60,000 in 2023 by flipping bikes. In the early part of September, another Angel (username: NS143) earned roughly $3,800 or 19,394 points. Most don't earn nearly that much, perhaps enough to pay some bills, and taxes still have to be paid. But all in all? For those who are dedicated and willing to put in the work, it's not a bad hustle. More From GOBankingRates 7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth Sources 'Mayor Adams Announces Major Expansion of Citi Bike Service in Outer Boroughs as Ridership Continues to Soar' The New York Times, 'The Hustlers Who Make $6,000 a Month by Gaming Citi Bikes' Citi Bike NYC, 'Citi Bike Annual Membership | Citi Bike NYC' This article originally appeared on How To Make an Extra $6K a Month (It's as Easy as Riding a Bike) Sign in to access your portfolio
New York Post
19-05-2025
- New York Post
7-year-old child shot in NYC home, marking the third minor to be shot in the Bronx in a week
A 7-year-old boy was shot in a Bronx home Sunday afternoon, becoming at least the third innocent minor to be struck by a bullet in the borough in a week, police said. The child was inside a home on East 230th Street in the Wakefield section of the borough when he was shot in the left hand around 4 p.m., according to the NYPD. 3 A 7-year-old boy was shot in the Bronx, marking the third time a child was hit by a bullet in the last week in the borough. Paul Martinka The family of the victim, whose name was not released by police, took him to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition, police said. Cops are investigating whether the child got hold of the gun and accidentally shot himself in the hand, according to law enforcement sources. Police said they received a 911 call about the shooting, which remains under investigation. The incident marks at least the third shooting of an innocent child in that area of the Bronx in the last week. On May 12, Evette Jeffrey, 16, was shot in the head and killed near a schoolyard after coming back from celebrating her anniversary with her boyfriend at a local Chinese restaurant. She was caught in the crossfire of a gang-fueled shootout and was not the intended target, cops said. 3 A seven-year old boy shot in the Bronx was listed in stable condition at Jacobi Medical Center. Robert Miller Mayor Eric Adams visited the tragic scene that night and had an impromptu conversation with a clutch of terrified parents. 'Several lives are destroyed,' Adams said of the deadly shooting. 'We know that we have an obligation to create safe environments for young people. And that is what we try to do every day,' he added. The next day, an 11-year-old boy was injured in a shooting when, again, teens opened fire on a rival gang just blocks from where Jeffrey was slain riding her scooter. The shooters missed their targets, but one of their bullets smashed through the rear passenger side window of a passing car and showered the boy with glass. He was taken to the hospital and listed in stable condition. 3 Police are investigating the shooting of a 7-year-old boy in the Bronx on Sunday afternoon. Christopher Sadowski The driver of the car was shot in the shoulder and also listed in stable condition. The shooters escaped on Citi Bikes.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
2 innocent victims injured in NYC shooting just blocks from where 16-year-old girl was killed in crossfire
Two innocent passersby were shot and wounded in the Bronx Tuesday, just blocks away and less than 24 hours after a teenage girl was killed when she rode her scooter into the crossfire of rival teen gangs, according to police and law enforcement sources. Two gunmen ran up to a group of males at the corner of East 163rd Street and Washington Avenue in Melrose and opened fire at around 4:45 p.m., police said. But the gunfire instead wounded two people in a passing car — including an 11-year-old boy. The boy was cut by shattered glass and a 20-year-old male driver was shot in the left shoulder, according to cops and sources. The driver was taken to Lincoln Hospital where he was listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the NYPD. The boy was also treated at Lincoln for minor injuries. The suspects fled on Citi Bikes following the shooting, cops said. The victim's car was one of two vehicles riddled with bullets in the chaos, according to photos from the scene. A white Infiniti G37X sedan was parked beneath a tree next to a Municipal Credit Union building with a bullet hole the size of a golf ball punched through the rear window. Another sedan abandoned nearby had its rear window nearly completely blown out. There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing, police said late Tuesday. The gun violence erupted around the corner from the Morrisania schoolyard, where 16-year-old Evette Jeffrey was shot in the head and killed while riding her scooter Monday evening. Evette had been celebrating her one-year anniversary with her boyfriend when she was shot by a boy who opened fire following a fistfight between young alleged gangbangers. A 14-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday morning for the fatal shooting, which cops said was gang-related. Investigators are still searching for a 12-year-old accomplice who allegedly handed the baby-faced killer the gun. The deadly dispute between rival street gangs — Forest Over Everything and the upstart crew Kreep On Davidson based at the Davidson Houses housing project — stemmed from a scuffle earlier in the day, sources said. It was unclear late Tuesday if the two shootings were related, but sources said cops were investigating whether Tuesday's shooting was gang-related and involved teens. The Bronx has recently been plagued by gun violence that has claimed the lives of victims caught in crossfire. In late April, two innocent bystanders were gunned down in as many days. A trailblazing Harlem bodega owner and community fixture — Excenia Mette, 61 — was fatally shot in the head when she ran outside to check on her grandson. Barely a day had passed when Daoud Marji, a 28-year-old plumber's apprentice, was shot and killed in another stray bullet shooting.
New York Post
14-05-2025
- New York Post
2 innocent victims injured in NYC shooting just blocks from where 16-year-old girl was killed in crossfire
Two innocent passersby were shot and wounded in the Bronx Tuesday, just blocks away and less than 24 hours after a teenage girl was killed when she rode her scooter into the crossfire of rival teen gangs, according to police and law enforcement sources. Two gunmen ran up to a group of males at the corner of East 163rd Street and Washington Avenue in Melrose and opened fire at around 4:45 p.m., police said. But the gunfire instead wounded two people in a passing car — including an 11-year-old boy. 5 Two innocent passersby were shot and wounded during a shooting while they passed by in their car in the Bronx on Tuesday. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock The boy was cut by shattered glass and a 20-year-old male driver was shot in the left shoulder, according to cops and sources. The driver was taken to Lincoln Hospital where he was listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the NYPD. The boy was also treated at Lincoln for minor injuries. The suspects fled on Citi Bikes following the shooting, cops said. The victim's car was one of two vehicles riddled with bullets in the chaos, according to photos from the scene. 5 Two gunmen ran up to a group of males at the corner of East 163rd Street and Washington Avenue in Melrose and opened fire at around 4:45 p.m., police said. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock 5 The gunfire wounded two people in the passing car, including an 11-year-old boy. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock A white Infiniti G37X sedan was parked beneath a tree next to a Municipal Credit Union building with a bullet hole the size of a golf ball punched through the rear window. Another sedan abandoned nearby had its rear window nearly completely blown out. There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing, police said late Tuesday. The gun violence erupted around the corner from the Morrisania schoolyard, where 16-year-old Evette Jeffrey was shot in the head and killed while riding her scooter Monday evening. 5 The suspected shooters fled the scene on Citi Bikes. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Evette had been celebrating her one-year anniversary with her boyfriend when she was shot by a boy who opened fire following a fistfight between young alleged gangbangers. A 14-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday morning for the fatal shooting, which cops said was gang-related. Investigators are still searching for a 12-year-old accomplice who allegedly handed the baby-faced killer the gun. 5 The gun violence erupted around the corner from the Morrisania schoolyard, where 16-year-old Evette Jeffrey was shot in the head and killed while riding her scooter Monday evening. Gabriella Bass The deadly dispute between rival street gangs — Forest Over Everything and the upstart crew Kreep On Davidson based at the Davidson Houses housing project — stemmed from a scuffle earlier in the day, sources said. It was unclear late Tuesday if the two shootings were related, but sources said cops were investigating whether Tuesday's shooting was gang-related and involved teens. The Bronx has recently been plagued by gun violence that has claimed the lives of victims caught in crossfire. In late April, two innocent bystanders were gunned down in as many days. A trailblazing Harlem bodega owner and community fixture — Excenia Mette, 61 — was fatally shot in the head when she ran outside to check on her grandson. Barely a day had passed when Daoud Marji, a 28-year-old plumber's apprentice, was shot and killed in another stray bullet shooting.
Business of Fashion
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business of Fashion
Product Drops Are Fashion's New Can't-Miss Events
Last Saturday morning, 1,000 frenzied customers rushed to form a line outside a middle school in East Harlem, some tossing aside rented Citi Bikes with the fare meters still running to get a ticket to enter a classroom that had been taken over by UK streetwear label Corteiz. They were there for the brand's latest collaboration with Nike, anchored by a pair of yellow and black Air Max 95s — the 'Honey Blacks' — that would exclusively be sold in-person at one-day pop-ups in London and New York City. Corteiz only revealed the New York pop-up's location that morning through clues on its social media accounts, first sending people to a group of school buses parked on the west side of Harlem where 250 numbered tickets for the first spots on line were distributed. An hour later, it unveiled the actual location of the pop-up — three miles away — where the last 750 tickets could be claimed. 'This is really how it should be. It's supposed to be fun,' said Dali J., a 40-year-old sneaker collector who woke up at 6 a.m. to drive to Harlem from her home in Connecticut nearly 85 miles away. 'That experience is what they want to bring back.' Corteiz sent followers on a chase to find a secret pop-up that was set-up inside the classroom of a middle school in East Harlem. (Jordan Keyser/Jordan Keyser) Gamified shopping experiences have been embedded within consumer culture since Willy Wonka's 'golden ticket' and cereal box sweepstakes, but these tactics are getting fresh updates and resonating with young fashion consumers who are seeking deeper connections with brands beyond just clicking check-out or walking to the register. James Davis, a former strategy director for Highsnobiety who addresses the crossover between fashion and gaming with his consultancy Drawn Distant, believes the rise of gamified drops is also part of a larger ripple effect created by the pandemic-era gaming boom. Outside of fashion, gaming's permeation of pop culture has led to the meteoric rise of Twitch streamers like Kai Cenat and new modern slang terms such as 'NPC' or 'side quest.' While streetwear and sneaker labels are among those at the forefront of adopting gamification, they're joined by a number of other brands, including beauty companies like Glossier and Topicals, which have been running a series of events it calls 'Faded Fortune' across the US and UK in which participants can win prizes. They illustrate another benefit of gamification: It makes for great online content. 'We live in a social world and people love being able to share what they're doing,' said Topicals' head of brand Abiola Babarinde. 'So how can we give you an experience that you wouldn't have experienced elsewhere and do things that feel a bit outlandish and stand out?' Game On The desire for gamified drops is particularly strong among streetwear and sneaker customers raised off the lore of hyped in-person releases such as camp-outs in front of Supreme stores or the famed 2005 release of Jeff Staple's 'Pigeon' Nike SB Dunk, which caused enough of a commotion that police had to be called out. Many of them, however, have grown tired of the standard drop model. 'The customer just got bored and exhausted,' said Jessica Ramírez, co-founder of retail advisory firm The Consumer Collective. 'Gamification taps into how consumers perceive the brand and why it's so memorable to them, and that's actually a bit stickier than these regular drops that we've seen for so long.' Nike's collaboration with Corteiz follows other gamified sneaker drops. (Jordan Keyser/Jordan Keyser) Nike has been reorienting its drop model around gamification as it seeks to rebuild lost brand heat. Last week, it introduced 'SNKRS Link,' a new online release model that only lets customers access certain Nike releases through a unique link that could be shared through unique access points such as a Nike collaborator's social media page or a QR code posted at a pop-up. In February, a Tomb Raider-inspired Air Max 1 sneaker release tied to Nike's web3 project, .Swoosh, asked customers to complete a set of word puzzles to gain access to the drop. Other sneakers brands have followed in Nike's footsteps. In January, New Balance released a collaboration with sneaker customiser that asked customers on release day to head to an abruptly announced location where, in true Wonka fashion, a golden ticket inside a chocolate bar would grant them access to the release. In March, Puma stashed 40 tokens throughout London for customers to find and exchange for items from its ongoing collaboration with UK rapper Skepta. And in April, Kith set up a soccer-themed activation in New York City's Grand Central station to promote its Adidas collaboration that invited the public to successfully score on a real goalie and win a pair of sneakers. Corteiz founder Clint 419 signing shoe boxes for customers at Corteiz and Nike's one-day pop-up in East Harlem. (Jordan Keyser/Jordan Keyser) The current king of gamified drops, however, may be Corteiz's founder, who goes by Clint 419. Like its in-person releases, Corteiz also pushes followers to engage with the brand on socials to gain access to a password that unlocks drops online or win a reward given directly by the founder himself. Davis of the gaming consultancy Drawn Distant sees him as a hyper-engaged creator who resonates with Gen-Z and Alpha customers that also grew up on creator-driven entertainment by the likes of gaming YouTubers such as MrBeast. 'Games are very much embedded in and leading culture in many ways for these younger kids,' said Davis. 'It doesn't matter if the product's the best thing ever. You need to be entertained while you try to hunt it down, hence the 'side quest' phenomenon, because it's a game as much as it's a reward.' Stephanie Ramos, a marketing consultant who previously worked within Nike's energy and collaborations team on gamified releases with brands such as Corteiz, said drops today need to also offer 'cultural currency' by becoming shareable experiences on social media, a phenomenon gamified releases speak to. Topicals' 'Faded Fortune' events invite customers to an activation where they pick suitcases off a stage, like the game show 'Deal or No Deal,' with prizes that range from an all-inclusive brand trip to a vintage Louis Vuitton bag. More Than Just Fun and Games Content opportunities aren't all customers are seeking, according to Ramos. 'The consumer is really looking for experiences, memories and community, especially post-pandemic,' she said. Gamified drops create a reciprocal relationship with customers that engenders community by creating spaces for fans of the brand to interact with one another. Because gamified releases require customers to be more engaged, it also keeps hardcore fans of these labels locked in while turning off outsiders, creating an air of exclusivity. A line of 750 customers formed inside a school yard for the opportunity to purchase Corteiz's latest Nike collaboration in-person. It's another reason gamification has resonated particularly well with sneakerheads and streetwear consumers. Alex Ropes, CEO of UK streetwear community The Basement, believes that the rise of social media has not only decentralised streetwear from epicentres like New York but fuelled a new crop of streetwear brands globally that has committed to the same gamified release strategy as brands such as Corteiz because of the barrier to entry it creates. 'The ones that are dedicated to your brand are the ones that are willing to go a little bit over and above to buy it,' said Ropes. 'The result of that is people will associate themselves with your brand at a closer level and it will create that kind of cultural camaraderie around two people that wear the same brand, which is what streetwear is all about.' That camaraderie is more the point than keeping others out. Ramos believes consumers are valuing authenticity more than exclusivity these days, a view echoed by Fabio Dessena, better known as FD From The Future, a UK-based content creator who built a following for on-the-ground coverage of gamified streetwear and sneaker drops. While Dessena has witnessed both new streetwear brands and larger players explore gamified releases, he believes the ones that build true communities are tied to something authentic rather than hype. Customers that lined up for Corteiz's pop-up in Harlem said they resonated with the story and personality of its founder, Clint 419. (Jordan Keyser/Jordan Keyser) Resonance with a brand or founder's story is why Isaiah Santana, a 24-year-old Parson's School of Design student, was in line for Corteiz's drop in Harlem, his first-ever in-person sneaker release. 'There's a personality behind it and a connection,' he said. For 22-year-old Max Daniel Pastrana, meanwhile, having to do work to get the Honey Blacks was part of the appeal. 'It gives the shoes more importance,' he said.
