JUMP, a pedal-assist ebike startup now owned by ride-hailing giant Uber, is putting in the miles to join the Atlanta transportation community, as dockless options begin to sweep the city.
Currently available in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Austin, Santa Cruz and Sacramento, JUMP bikes are making progress to launch in Atlanta, though Uber representatives said they are not revealing a timeline for the launch yet. An Uber spokesperson said the company continues to have "productive conversations with the administration and members of the City Council" as a dockless/bikeshare ordinance is being drafted at City Hall.
Last week, I cruised around on a side street on a JUMP bike next to the Atlanta Business Chronicle midday with ease. Aside from members of the local Uber team, I'm the first person in Atlanta to get to take a ride on one of these babies.
With a credit card, the JUMP app or even a MARTA card, users can unlock the bike from wherever it's stationed and start pedaling. Current rates are $2 for 30 minutes. You can also access a JUMP with the Uber app, by clicking "Bike" inside the app, locating one nearby to reserve and using a pin to unlock the bike---making it easier to go from an Uber to a JUMP in one transaction.
Hopping on and getting situated took a few moments longer than I'm proud to admit---it's been years since I've ridden a bike. But once I finally got comfortable, it was easy; you know how that saying goes.
The bike felt sturdy underneath me, despite being a little bulky for a woman of small stature. The added basket in the front was a major plus for the purse I'm usually lugging around with my laptop.
While riding up a hill, I could feel the electric-assist kick in to keep the bike moving without much physical exertion on my part. Colin Hughes, head of policy for JUMP, said the assist can go up to 20 MPH before shutting off.
“It really works exactly like a regular bike,” he said. “There’s a torque sensor in the bottom rack that senses how hard you’re pedaling and senses when you’re up a hill.”
This extra boost works great for hilly cities like Atlanta and San Francisco, Hughes said.
Unlike dockless counterparts, JUMP bikes are equipped with a lock-to-mechanism and can be fastened to anything from bike racks to street signs. Hughes said this allows sidewalks and right-of-ways to stay orderly; Misplaced cycles and scooters on sidewalks and other right-of-ways is a growing problem among cities with dockless devices.
When the ebikes eventually launch in Atlanta, the company will also offer a Boost plan for low income users to access throughout the city, not just affluent neighborhoods, Hughes said. Those eligible for the plan will be able to access JUMP bikes for $5 a month for the first year with up to 60 minutes of riding per day. Riders must be 18 or older to participate in the Boost plan.
"If you're enrolled in any kind of government assistance, you're eligible for the reduced fee," he said.
Following my ride in Atlanta, I hopped on a JUMP bike in Austin during a visit for Austin Inno's Coolest Company's Fest. Despite it being more than 100 degrees that day, I managed to ride on the bike for an hour around Lady Bird Lake and a bit of downtown without really breaking a sweat.
After acquiring JUMP in April, Uber has also recently announced a partnership with Lime's dockless scooters. The company announced earlier this month it had participated in a $335 million funding round with the San Mateo, California-based startup and planned to promote the dockless scooters in Uber's app. Uber made a similar investment into JUMP before acquiring it for more than $100 million.
"Our investment and partnership in Lime is another step towards our vision of becoming a one stop shop for all your transportation needs," Rachel Holt, vice president and head of new modalities at Uber, said in a statement. "Lime already has an expansive footprint, and we're excited to incorporate their scooters into the Uber app so consumers have another fast, affordable option to get around their city, especially to and from public transit."
These partnerships and acquisitions hint that we could be in for a dockless and rideshare startup takeover from ride-hailing mega giants like Uber and Lyft.
