Divvy: Chicago's newest transit system

System Updates for World Series Games

Due to changes in street closures for the World Series, we’re modifying the location of our Divvy Valet Service scheduled on Cubs game days this weekend.

We will be temporarily closing our Sheffield & Addison station through Monday, October 31, and moving our game night Valet Service to the Divvy station located at Wilton Ave & Belmont Ave, adjacent to the Belmont Red Line stop.

If you’re heading to Wrigleyville, please use our station at Wilton Ave & Belmont Ave. We will have attendants on-hand to guarantee you an available dock your Divvy bike on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between 3:30 PM to 8:00 PM. From that station, it is a short walk (10 minutes) to Wrigley Field.

Sheffield & Addison will not be available to return or take bikes throughout the weekend.

As our teams will have limited vehicular access to Wrigleyville throughout the weekend, please remember to consult the Transit app for iPhone or Android devices or Divvybikes.com/stations to view up-to-date station information, including real-time dock and bike availability. For more details on Valet Service, please visit Divvybikes.com/valet.

We thank you for your understanding, and Go Cubs Go!

- The Divvy Team and the Chicago Department of Transportation

Take Divvy to the Air & Water Show

We’re offering Valet Service at six lakefront locations—guaranteeing you the best spot to view the Air & Water Show. 

We’ll have staff at the following stations to ensure there are plenty of available docks for you to return your bike. That service is complimentary, just for riding Divvy.

Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21

10am – 6pm

• Michigan Ave & Oak St 
  
• Theater on the Lake (Lake Shore Dr & Fullerton Pkwy) 
  
• Lakeshore Dr & North Ave
  
• Montrose Harbor
  
• Shedd Aquarium
  

12pm – 8pm

• Streeter Dr & Grand Ave (Navy Pier)
  

More Valet Service details are available at DivvyBikes.com/valet.

Employee Spotlight: Chris, Lead Bicycle Field Tech

It’s that time again for the “Employee Spotlight” where we feature a member of our team and ask five random questions. The questions are meant to give our riders a look into who we are, what makes us tick, and possibly provide some laughs.

This month, the light is shined on Chris, one of our Lead Bicycle Field Technicians. Since joining Divvy in May of 2014, he served as a Mechanic, Bicycle Field Tech, and now is a Lead, primarily responsible for handling issues with bicycles out in the field, including bringing inoperable bikes back to Divvy HQ as well as recovering bikes. As a mechanic, he loved the work and the people he was working with but really wanted to work outside. He now gets a kick out of driving around Chicago, working out in fresh air, engaging riders, and listening to music. “I’m a huge Dave Matthews Band fan and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Pretty much everyone in the shop knows it!”

What is your favorite or dream travel destination?

“The World because I want to travel and see everything. If I had to choose one place however, I would say base camp at Mt. Everest. I don’t think I could climb it but to at least be around the people that are crazy enough to try it would be amazing. Well, I also wanna go the middle of the jungle in the Amazon and get lost in the Bronx on the weekend.”

If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?

“I’d pay off mine and my fiance’s debt, pay off our family’s debt. Next, I’d buy a small plot of land in Ohiopyle, PA for vacationing. Ohiopyle is a small town near the Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania borders. There are class-3 rapids, hiking, mountain biking, the works. I would split whatever was left between an investment account for my family and a nonprofit. I’m not sure what the nonprofit would be yet but something involving cycles, people and bettering people’s lives.

If there was a movie made about your life, who would you like to see cast as your character?

“Sidney Poitier. He’s amazing and I want to see him with ginger hair. Obviously young Sidney Poitier. I would also accept Morgan Freeman because I wish I had his voice. Or Chris Pratt because I feel like we have a lot in common. He’s handsome, I’m handsome.”

What are you passionate about/hobbies?

“My fiance and our dog. In that respect, I’m very passionate about animals. Actually, that’s what I think would be my nonprofit. A legit no-kill shelter.”

What is the first concert you ever attended?

“First concert that I was aware of was at Star Lake in Burgettstown, PA. It was the Sting and Police reunion tour. I was 6. And I remember listening to Fields of Gold then falling asleep on a blanket on the lawn.”

System Update: Draft Town Divvy Station Closures

Due to the NFL Draft Town Festival in the vicinity of Grant Park, three Divvy Stations have been shut down. You will not be able to check out or return a bike to those stations. 

The following stations will be closed:

• Michigan Ave & Congress Pkwy
• Michigan Ave & Jackson St
• Buckingham Fountain

We expect the Michigan Ave & Congress Pkwy station to be back in service late on Friday, April 29. The other two stations are expected be returned to service after the conclusion of the festival, on Monday, May 2.

While these stations are out of service, we recommend using the following nearby stations as alternatives:

• State St & Van Buren St
• State St & Harrison St
• Wabash Ave & 8th St
• Wabash Ave & Adams St
• Millennium Park
• Lake Shore Dr & Monroe St

Please remember to consult the CycleFinder app for iPhone or Android devices to view up-to-date station locations, including real-time dock and bike availability.

- The Divvy Team and the Chicago Department of Transportation

Employee Spotlight: Jesse, Rebalancer

It’s time again for the “Employee Spotlight” where we feature a member of our team and ask five random questions. The questions are meant to give our riders a look into who we are, what makes us tick, and possibly provide some laughs.

This month, the light is shined on Jesse, one of our hard-working rebalancers. Our rebalancing team is responsible for driving the big, blue vans many of you may have seen around the city. They use these vans to move our bikes to stations that need them.

Jesse joined us in August of 2014 and our rebalancing manager says, “Jesse always displays a positive attitude. His smile is contagious and he has been a solid performer since day one.” Jesse became interested in working for Divvy after seeing a Divvy van go past his house, then reading about the program. He enjoys his job. He says, “I like interacting with customers and meeting different people. I also like knowing I’m there to help people out when they need it.” 

What is your favorite or dream travel destination?
“My dream would be to travel to Barcelona, Spain because my favorite soccer team is Barcelona and my favorite player is Lionel Messi. I would love to see a game there. Also, they have really beautiful tourist spots there.” 

If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?
“I would pay my college tuition. I would buy a home and help my mother out. If I had anything left, I would look for something to invest in.” 

If there was a movie made about your life, who would you like to see cast as your character?
“Johnny Depp,” (said without pause). “I think he is a great actor and I think he would be the perfect person to cast for my true, life story. When portraying my life in a Divvy van, I think he would remain calm and act goofy.”
  
What are you passionate about/hobbies?
“I’m starting school in the fall at Malcolm X to become a surgical tech. I’m very excited about my schooling and already feel very passionate about it. I like reading. I live in Wicker Park, near the 606 and will often just go hang out and read there. I’m currently reading The Fifth Wave. It’s a very interesting book.”

What is the first concert you ever attended?
“Spring Awakening last year at Soldier Field, it’s an EDM concert. I’m open to any music but I like EDM the most. For me, it was a very cool environment. Some of my favorite sets were Tommy Trash, Hardwell, Borgore, and Steve Aoki.”  

Our Leavitt St & Armitage Ave Station will be temporarily removed

Our Leavitt St & Armitage Ave, station will be temporarily removed on Monday morning, April 11, due to People’s Gas work in the area. To ensure rider safety, this station will be removed until work is completed.

While this Station is out of service, we recommend using the following nearby stations as alternatives.

• Milwaukee Ave & Wabansia Ave
• Western Ave & Winnebago Ave
• Damen Ave & Cortland St
• Damen Ave & Charleston St
  

Please remember to consult the CycleFinder app for iPhone or Android devices to view up-to-date station locations, including real-time dock and bike availability.

Employee Spotlight: Elycia, Bike Mechanic

It’s that time again for the “Employee Spotlight” where we feature a member of our team and ask five random questions. The questions are meant to give our riders a look into who we are, what makes us tick, and possibly provide some laughs.

This month, the light is shined on Elycia, one of our skilled bike mechanics. Since joining us in March of 2015 she’s had a great attitude and has quickly proven she can hang with the best mechanics. Our shop manager says, “she is a great mechanic with a can-do attitude. She is often spotted singing in the shop and is always wearing a smile. We are very grateful to have her on the team.” Elycia has been a bike mechanic since 2010. Her first job wrenching was at Roberts Cycle in Rogers Park, where she learned everything she knows about bikes.

1. What is your favorite or dream travel destination?

“New Orleans. I went there last year. It was in November so there were no festivals going on or anything crazy. We’ve just always wanted to go. We mostly just walked around, checked out Bourbon St and tried the local food. The musicians out there are awesome, every night they are everywhere. There was this one woman with pipes like an angel, you could hear her for miles.”  

2. If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?

“A million dollars isn’t really a lot these days. I would probably blow it and travel a bunch. You can’t take it with you when you go.”

3. If there was a movie made about your life, who would you like to see cast as your character?

“Can I do it? I’d cast myself. I find myself to be delightfully funny.”

4. What are you passionate about/hobbies?

“I’m a musician, primarily guitar. But also keyboard, drums, harmonica, ukulele, bass and I recently picked up a mandolin. The first instrument learned was bass from my step dad.  I’ve been in reggae bands, punk bands, ska bands but I really like playing the blues—a few simple chords, a few simple licks and sing about something probably sad.”

5. What is the first concert you ever attended?

“WAR at the San Bernardino County Fair. I was a super young kid and went with my Dad. My first concert as an adult was No Doubt. My cousin bought the tickets then my mom bought them from her for my birthday. My cousin ended up buying more lawn tickets then we snuck them onto the floor.”

Employee Spotlight: Moe, Station Maintenance

We’re adding something new to the Divvy blog!

Every month, we’ll be featuring a Divvy employee in our “Employee Spotlight”. We’ll ask this person five questions, which are meant to give our riders a look into who we are, what makes us tick, and possibly provide some laughs. This week is special: in addition to it being the inaugural Spotlight, we’re also highlighting Black History Month by recognizing someone who has been a productive member of the Divvy team since before we launched and who has deep roots in what it means to be African-American.

Maurice (he goes by “Moe” around here) started with Divvy in May 2013. Since joining the team, he has built stations, solar poles, and solar panels, he’s supervised a station testing team, he’s deployed and moved stations, he’s managed the station batteries, he’s moved bikes and collected inoperative bikes, he’s worked on the station maintenance team ensuring the stations look their best, and he’s fixed and rebuilt dock cassettes. He’s been busy around here!

1. What is your favorite or dream travel destination?

“I would go back go back to Thailand where I spent 3 months while in the Army. The scenery out in the country is just beautiful.There are some beautiful places on this planet out in rural areas, you have to stay out of the city and away from the tourist traps. These people don’t even deal with cars and TVs and they stay busy 24/7!

2. If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?

“Invest in my grandchildren’s future. Trust funds, college savings. All I want is a car and a house. I already have everything else in life.”

3. If there was a movie made about your life, who would you like to see cast as your character?

“JaRule. We are kind of the same height. And he has the same attitude I do. Even though he’s rapper, I overlook that.”

4. What are you passionate about/hobbies?

“Carpentry, building things. The last thing I built was a rocking chair. I’m a fan of Norm Abram’s The New Yankee Workshop, where they share blueprints. I wanted to build the chair just to see that I could do it.”

5. What is the first concert you ever attended?

“The Motown Review at the Regal Theater. My cousin Nita took me. There were 12 acts including Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Little Stevie Wonder, and Martha Reid and the Vandellas. I might be the only person in the building that’s seen the Rolling Stones twice!”

6. Special Question! February is Black History Month. On this occasion, is there a message you’d like to share with the Divvy team?

“My father always said, don’t fight racism with your fists, fight it with your mind.”

This is a crucial message that Moe would like to pass on to the young people here at Divvy. And one that his father passed down to him.

Born in 1956 on the southside of Chicago and having spent years of his youth in Georgia and Louisiana,  where his parents are from, Moe has seen the impact of prejudice in different ways. He experienced that racism in the south is much different than racism in the north. He experienced it to be just as significant in the north, it’s just more hidden.

Growing up, his parents gave him and his five siblings the world. His mother was the first black Registered Charge Nurse in the ER of Michael Reese Hospital. His father was an Over-the-Road truck driver for United Van Lines.

Maurice went to Holy Angels Catholic School then Chicago Vocational Career Academy for high school. Then joined the Army in the late 70s. He served on the 82nd Airborne Infantry Division. This division is the primary fighting arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps and specializes in parachute landing operations. Through his 10 years in the military, he traveled the world and spent time fighting in Beirut, Afghanistan, and Panama.

“You always saw racism off the base. Back then, people would tell you what they thought of you. But in the military, when talking about the guys you are fighting with, they knew I had their backs and they had mine. It didn’t matter what color you were. It was a matter of life or death,” he explained.

Fast forward to today and the highest priority in Moe’s life is the next generation: his five grandchildren. In 2009, his son passed away in a tragic auto accident while on his way home for Thanksgiving. The way he has dealt with this loss is to understand that while his son was prematurely taken from him, he’s been blessed with grandchildren.

Similarly, he feels his most important role at Divvy has been mentoring young people in the next generation.

“I would just like to teach and lead. When I leave here, I want there to be people left that know how to do all the things I know how to do. I see these young people coming here to work everyday. And they stick with it. I know when they go outside these gates, they are dealing with all kinds of things, but once they come inside this gate, they are business and they get the job done.”