Ryan Westrom

planner, engineer, transport nerd; passions: urban mobility, data analytics, cities; DC by way of Cambridge & Cali, Chicago veteran, Minnesota native

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@AzizSunderji Could it be that fewer of the children were being born in the suburbs because more were being born in the city? The same people just had a higher proclivity to live in the city until they had kids but then still ended up in the suburbs? So fewer suburban and more urban yuppies.

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

Timely.

[Justin Laurence @jus10chi]

New: The group that owns the 75-year lease of Chicago’s parking meters has reached a private deal to transfer the rights to Stonepeak Partners for an undisclosed price.

The deal must be approved by the City Council.

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

Fantastic work here from Nik Hunder on the potential for optimizing Chicago's parking meter layout despite the disastrous lease. Such thinking should be commonplace in every major city as they seek to balance economic development, mode share, and access.
https://t.co/IVXkiqfAZa

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

Quite the milestone! I think micromobility is here to stay.

[Prabin Joel Jones @prabinjoel]

Breaking!! 🚨 Largest shared micromobility company @limebike is going public and just filed their S1. 🚀

Here is everything you need to know:

👉Revenue grew 29% to $886.7m in 2025, up from $686.6m in 2024 and $522m in 2023.

👉Net loss widened to $59.3m in 2025, vs $33.9m in 2024

👉Geography split (2025 revenue):
- United States: 32% of total (~$284m)
- United Kingdom: 22% (~$195m)
- France: 10% (~$89m)
- Rest of world: 36%

👉Gross profit hit $345.4m in 2025 (39% margin), up from $281m in 2024

👉Adjusted EBITDA reached $218.1m (+42% YoY), with Q1 2026 already up 250% YoY to $7.5m.

👉Operating income turned positive at $70.4m in 2025 vs the $24.6m loss in 2023.

👉19 million riders served globally in 2025, across 230 cities in 29 countries.

👉Globally, Lime is nearly 3× the size of the next largest operator by monthly active users

👉E-scooters + e-bikes operated under an exclusive distribution partnership with Uber, which drove ~14% of total revenue in 2025.

👉Marketing spend: just ~2% of revenue.

👉116% operational fleet retention rate in 2025

👉Accumulated deficit stands at $806m. Working capital is negative $529m.

👉4.3B+ shares in outstanding options and 2.1B+ RSU shares vest at IPO or thereafter.

👉Cash in the bank: $261.3m

👉Senior Secured Term Loan: $114.2m classified as current (due within 12 months). The IPO proceeds are earmarked specifically to repay this in full.

👉2020 Notes outstanding: $209.6m (includes the $85m @Uber Note + $85m Investor Notes plus accrued interest). These convert to equity at IPO and so, not a cash obligation.

👉2021 Notes outstanding: $682.9m will also convert to equity at IPO, not repaid in cash.

👉Total debt converting at IPO: ~$892m, which is a massive equity dilution event for incoming shareholders.

This is a massive milestone for the industry and one which we've been waiting for.

Current debt level is concerning, but if the IPO is successful, most of the debt on the books will either convert or be repaid.

~30% growth at this scale is incredible! We've also seen similar growth numbers at @voitechnology.

Market is still massive and current companies including Lime haven't covered enough. imo, there is much more room for growth.

I'm hoping that the filing will be well received and that they have a successful IPO.

If they do, every company in this segment will reap the rewards and may be many more will go public.

Congrats @wayneting and the entire Lime team 👏

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@JonHaidt At this point, it’s so clear that any place that has NOT banned phones in school is derelict in their duties. I imagine there will be a lot more such bans added this summer (Good! Better late than never.) Does anyone have a good map showing where bans are in place?

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

When simulation becomes the norm, it weakens the human capacity for discernment. As a result, our social bonds close in upon themselves, forming self-referential circuits that no longer expose us to reality. We thus come to live within bubbles, impermeable to one another. Feeling threatened by anyone who is different, we grow unaccustomed to encounter and dialogue. In this way, polarization, conflict, fear and violence spread. What is at stake is not merely the risk of error, but a transformation in our very relationship with truth.

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

Can’t wait for my favorite TV event of the year tonight. Everyone’s favorite stars finding their spots under the brightest lights. #SelectionSunday #MarchMadness

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@wmataGM @Capitals I could definitely watch videos of Metro floor cleaning on a loop. Oddly satisfying, for sure.

[Iain Cameron @theiaincameron]

In the state of Wyoming in the USA lies a real hydrological oddity. It's a small stream (creek) that is thought to be the only one of very few examples in the world. It is placed so precariously and perfectly that it's hard to believe it is able to exist.

1/n

[Martin Austermuhle @maustermuhle]

Good reporting here from @KelseyTuoc in @TheArgumentMag about why Waymo remains stuck in regulatory limbo in D.C., unable to provide passenger service. She even got a set of proposed options @DDOTDC floated for @MayorBowser, but nothing has yet been done: https://t.co/v8bAtFkg8q

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@Teslaconomics “…if the system works the way Elon has described it for years” is doing a lot of work here. The old adage—if something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t—comes to mind.

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@AnthonyEsolen I would include Joseph Conrad (who wasn’t even a native speaker).

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

Truly shocking: Pedestrian deaths have surged 75% since 2010! 7,500+ lives killed annually. This WaPo report confirms a national safety crisis & a clarion call to action. It's why I do what I do.

https://t.co/W5XhBIFy1A

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@Empty_America Millennium Park https://t.co/rEnjLlPVzR

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

A postscript to this thread. @espn's Bradford Doolittle discusses this very topic in an article on the process unfolding for the new Royals stadium: https://t.co/6UYv85IT7O
I was affirmed to see that their 'urbanity' ranking of ballparks lined up very closely to mine.

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

Kinda shocked that in this day in age surface parking is still planned around a new stadium. Do no other owners look at the revenue Cubs owners generate from around the stadium and consider that potential?

[Casey Pratt @CaseyAPratt]

The Las Vegas #Athletics renderings have finally dropped. Can see why Manfred thought the stadium was at the MGM.

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

What do you think?

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@the_transit_guy I often say, I love the city. And I love the country (grew up there). It’s the in between I struggle with.

Yet, we’re probably in the minority as a majority of Americans live in that in between.

[Tim Althoff @timalthoff]

I’m excited to share our new @Nature paper 📝, which provides strong evidence that the walkability of our built environment matters a great deal to our physical activity and health.

Details in thread.🧵

https://t.co/omO3YcHrvG

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@drantbradley Reminds me of the Jesse White Tumblers. https://t.co/mwjhmIouN5

[Ryan Westrom @Westy33]

@aaron_renn @jakedell73 Worth noting the work @sacredspacesdc (https://t.co/NzvlMk5UWd) is doing in this space.

[Stefan Schubert @StefanFSchubert]

Particulate matter local air pollution from road transport is much less due to petrol exhaust than most people think.

More is due to brake, tyre, and road wear.

This means the effects of electrifying the car fleet in local air pollution are smaller than one might have wished.