Uber intends to launch its newly-acquired Jump electric bikes in Seattle, US, in a move which could increase competition among rival firms. The ride-hailing company will decide on whether to apply for a permit once regulations have been mapped out by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDoT). SDoT is finalising a permit programme for bike-share operators and plans to present a proposal to the city council next month. A report by the Seattle Times says three bike-share companies operate in the city
June 22, 2018
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Uber intends to launch its newly-acquired Jump electric bikes in Seattle, US, in a move which could increase competition among rival firms. The ride-hailing company will decide on whether to apply for a permit once regulations have been mapped out by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDoT).
SDoT is finalising a permit programme for bike-share operators and plans to present a proposal to the city council next month.
A report by the %$Linker: 2External<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary />000link-external Seattle TimesSeattle times website linkfalsehttp://https//www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/uber-wants-to-join-seattles-bike-share-battle/falsefalse%> says three bike-share companies operate in the city on one-year permits and pay minimal fees in exchange for giving a range of data to the city.
“They’ve turned over the kind of usage and ridership data that Uber has long fought, and continues to fight, to keep secret in its ride-hailing business”, the report adds.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the company wants to bring together multiple modes of transport within the company's app and allow users to choose the fastest or most affordable way to reach their destination.
Uber intends to focus more on its electric scooter and bike business as it says individual modes of transport are better-suited to inner city travel. Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO, believes users will make more frequent, shorter journeys in the future, the Financial Times reports. "During rush hour, it is very inefficient for a one-tonne hulk of metal to take one person ten blocks,” he says. Uber’s Jump electric bikes are now available in eight US cities such as San Francisco and Washington DC, and are
Transport for London (TfL) has described claims that it is deepening its relationship with Uber as ‘nonsense’.
Media reports suggested that London’s transit authority might be going to offer customers access to public transport services via the ride-hailing firm's app.
The Financial Times reported that Uber is attempting to add TfL's data about tube and bus timetables into the app.
But a spokesperson from TfL told ITS International that the only thing it is putting out is open data – and does no