Uber is probably best known for its ride-sharing services, whether it be cars or even motorbikes (in some countries). However it looks like Uber is now branching into bicycles where in a partnership with JUMP, they have announced a new bike-sharing service that they will be piloting in San Francisco.For those unfamiliar, JUMP is a startup that has recently gotten the greenlight to launch a dockless bike-sharing service in San Francisco. The company will be launching with 250 bikes at the start, but it could be expanded by an additional 250 in the future assuming all goes well and the necessary permits have been approved.
With the partnership with Uber, users will be able to rent these bikes directly within the Uber app. However it should be noted that the bikes won’t be delivered to users, but rather users will have to go to the bikes themselves. The upside is that the bikes can be booked through the Uber app, so users can save themselves the effort in downloading a separate app and reserve it ahead of time.
Speaking to TechCrunch, Uber Head of Transportation Policy and Research Andrew Salzberg said that bikes were something that Uber was thinking about for some time now, and that the partnership with JUMP came at the right time. “It fits into this larger vision, we think, that there can be multiple modes of transportation that can be made available through the Uber app. There are a lot of places where there are many trips that it’s probably going to be quicker and cheaper to hop on a bike. Strategically, it makes a lot of sense for us as business.”
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