Scoot scoot toot toot
Uber jumps into Austin with its own brand of electric scooter
In reflecting on 2018, Austinites will likely to remember it as simply the year of the electric scooter. Scooters here, scooters there, scooters — quite literally — everywhere.
Now, prepare for even more contraptions with the launch of Uber's Jump e-scooter rental service. The technology company announced on October 25 that it is rolling out the bright red bikes immediately on Austin's city streets.
The e-scooters join the brand's Jump e-bikes, which were released earlier this year. And of course the company will continue offering the ride hailing service that made it famous. (How quaint!)
Austinites can get their scoot on via the same Uber app used to call a car. Open the app, tap the mode switch at the top of the home screen, and select Bike & Scooter. Voilá. So easy a child could do it, who, incidentally, these scooter were originally made for! Crazy how life works.
“Riders have told us they like having multiple transportation options available within a single app to fit their various needs,” said Jump's general manager David Brightman in a release.
In celebration of this endeavor, Jump is offering free rides and helmets now through November 11. Free scooter time is limited to 30 minutes, with an additional $.15 for each minute after that. Users can ride up to five times per day.
To score a free helmet (for the love of all things good, take them up on this offer), head to Uber's Uber’s Greenlight Hub at 507 Calles St., Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3-6 pm. Brand ambassadors will also be popping up around town, so keep an eye out, unless you're on a bike in which case keep your eyes on the road.
