Seattle shatters bike, scooter record amid World Cup festivities

Seattle set a new single-day record for shared bike and scooter use on June 19, recording more than 83,000 trips as major events, including the USA v. Australia World Cup match, drew large crowds to the city.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) reported about 83,600 rides on that Friday, surpassing the previous record of roughly 59,300 trips set Feb. 11 during the Super Bowl victory parade for the Seahawks.

Officials said the spike in ridership coincided with a day that included the FIFA World Cup match, a Seattle Mariners game, and Juneteenth celebrations.

Record caps a steady climb in Seattle’s bike, scooter use

According to city data provided by bike and scooter-share vendor Lime, the average trip on June 19 covered about 1.6 miles and lasted just over 13 minutes. SDOT noted one of the rides belonged to Seahawks legend Marshawn Lynch, who was seen on a Lime Glider during the “March to the Match” event for the World Cup.

The highest usage occurred in the midafternoon, with about 7,000 rides logged in each of the 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. hours. Standing scooters accounted for the largest share of trips, with about 46,700 rides, followed by seated scooters at about 21,400 and bicycles at roughly 15,500.

City leaders said ridership has been steadily increasing. Seattle recorded 10.5 million bike- and scooter-share trips in 2025, a 60% jump from the prior year. Through the first five months of 2026, trips are up 42% compared with the same period in 2025.

Amid the increase, the city is emphasizing safety. Officials urged riders to use designated bike lanes rather than sidewalks, follow traffic laws, and wear helmets. Free helmets are being distributed at select locations, including areas near Lumen Field during major events.

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