Limpert Tech "SullyCast" on ALT 105.7 and iHeartRadio - Community Ride-Share Scooters and Bikes

Community-share scooters, bikes and transports are all the rage!

Rick and Sully seem to mention them every week. But this week, that is the focus and they go more in depth on what you may soon find as "short hop" options on your streets or neighborhoods.

Have a listen to see how you can use these services and how the trend is growing.

1.  Bird
www.bird.co

The Bird system of dockless, electric, lightweight scooters is taking off in Atlanta as a means of travel that link commuters between transit and home—or to anywhere too far to walk, or too close to drive, to. It’s the California-based company’s first foray into the Southeast.

Initially, Atlantans have found Birds in Midtown, Tech Square, downtown, and south of Interstate 20 in West End, but it's speading even more than that as we are now in Summer.

Taking Bird “vehicles” is an app-based endeavor that costs $1 to start each ride, then 15 cents per minute afterwards.

Bird employees begin tracking them down, charging, and storing them overnight at 8 p.m. The scooters are returned to “nests” at 7 a.m. the following day.

Typically, three Birds roost at each nest. Some property owners agree to host more more, however.
Helmets (like drivers licenses) are required by law and are provided by Bird upon request. Each scooter’s scootin’ capabilities are capped at 15 mph, and they’ll fly about 15 miles per charge. Scooting about ATL for anyone under 18 years old is a no-no.

The company has pledged to remit $1 per scooter, per day, to city governments to help build permanent bike lanes, maintain infrastructure, and promote safety. Per Bird’s estimation, 40 percent of U.S. car trips are less than two miles long.
 


2.  Muving
www.muvingusa.com

Muving, an electric scooter company based in Spain, launched 75 scooters in Midtown around June 15. Riders can reserve and use a scooter through the Muving app but must have a drivers license and be at least 18 years old. The scooters can travel up to 45 miles and can reach speeds of 30 MPH.

The Metro Atlanta Chamber helped bring the company to the City of Atlanta, which has been supportive of the project. While the city has not passed any requirements yet dealing with shareable “dockless mobility devices,” they have drafted an ordinance, which Muving is working to follow. Unlike the Bird electric scooters that have taken over the city, Muving’s bikes cannot simply be parked on the street.
Rides cost 35 cents per minute or 15 cents per minute when the scooter is in standby mode. The scooters are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, but if they are well received, they could end up running 24/7.

3. Relay Bike Share
www.relaybikeshare.com

Relay Bike Share has grown to include more than 500 bikes at 60-plus stations spanning from West End to Buckhead’s PATH 400.
The rentable sky-blue bikes have become ubiquitous around Atlanta. Try one!
 


4. Ofo Dockless Bikes
www.ofo.com

Ofo, founded in China in 2014, secured a business license with the city and launched in Midtown, Little Five Points, Inman Park and the Old Fourth Ward last Wednesday.

Company representatives said pricing will be $1 to start a ride and an additional $1 for every half hour ridden. Ofo will also be testing out a new drop-off model in Atlanta where the company is partnering with local businesses. Users will be required to start a trip and end a trip on the private property of one of those designated businesses.

 
5.  Uber and Lyft not far behind

Ride-hailing company Uber announced an agreement to acquire JUMP Bikes, “an electronic, dockless bike-sharing service,” giving Uber access to its 12,000 GPS-enabled bikes in 40 cities across six countries.
Lyft - has recently bought one of the one of the biggest bike-sharing companies in the US - Motivate
Motivate accounts for about 80 percent of bike-share trips in the US, also operates networks in Chicago; Boston; Washington, DC; Portland, Oregon; Columbus; and Minneapolis.
 

6. Product to get... to be safe...  for all these bikes and scooters... Morpher Folding Helmet
It folds as you squash it in from both sides – the Morpher packs down far smaller, making it a better option for those who really want to save on space in their bag. Make sure you opt for the version of the Morpher that meets your local safety standards if you order online. a little over $100, buy on morpherhelmet.com