Dockless Bikeshare – The Dockpocalypse Nears

[Dewey]

This morning’s commute was marked with a typical MetroRail SNAFU in Virginia so I took CaBi in to Foggy Bottom and I was pleasantly surprised to see two Lime-S scotters and one mobike outside the front door to work, as they don’t operate in VA this was DC folk getting around, DoBi appears to be complementing CaBi nicely.

[Judd]

Uber has acquired Jump Bikes. I have mixed emotions:

uber-enters-dockless-bike-wars-with-jump-acquisition-1523280600

[rcannon100]

@Judd 177286 wrote:

Uber has acquired Jump Bikes. I have mixed emotions:

I dont.

[jrenaut]

Uber acquiring Jump might actually be ok. Yes, Uber is a toxic corporate entity. But what happens if they do to dockless bikeshare what they’re doing to the cab industry? With cabs, as much as I have my issues with cab drivers and their less-than-safe driving, it’s actual people having their income disrupted by Uber subsidizing each trip. With dockless, where is the victim? It probably HELPS cab drivers if we have better bikeshare – it means that many more people giving up their personal car. Even the most hard-core cyclists among us admit that, for some people, sometimes your bike isn’t the best way to get somewhere.

So, depsite Uber being terrible, this might not actually be the worst thing that can happen.

[accordioneur]

From the Chicago Tribute: Dockless bike and scooter sharing promises convenience but delivers chaos

I don’t normally read the Chicago papers but the writer is an old friend of mine. As part of her research for the article I suggested that she read through this thread.

[Judd]

@accordioneur 177308 wrote:

From the Chicago Tribute: Dockless bike and scooter sharing promises convenience but delivers chaos

I don’t normally read the Chicago papers but the writer is an old friend of mine. As part of her research for the article I suggested that she read through this thread.

It seems like all the articles on dockless bikes end up being exactly the same. I’d love to see one with interviews with people that are riding them regularly. I also think it would be interesting to see some quotes from someone who has “liberated” one of them.

[Judd]

It appears that DDOT is going to extend the Dockless Bikeshare Pilot in DC but with some unspecified modifications to the rules. The Wash Cycle was live tweeting from the Transportation Committee meeting yesterday. There’s a few other interesting tidbits in yesterday’s tweets.

https://twitter.com/Wash_cycle/status/983408295405858817

[AFHokie]

Don’t leave your ride-share bike on a ferry:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2018-04-09/abandoned-bicycles-a-problem-for-coast-guard-ferries

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[Dewey]

The New York Times reports over the coming months JUMP plans to double the size of its ebikeshare fleet in DC from the current 200 pedelecs.

The Post article on Uber acquiring JUMP.

[rcannon100]

I read in the press release that UBER is working on technology to make the JUMP bikes autonomous. I dont know – kinda seems like a bad idea.

[n18]

@rcannon100 177326 wrote:

I read in the press release that UBER is working on technology to make the JUMP bikes autonomous. I dont know – kinda seems like a bad idea.

In rural areas like Fairfax, the nearest bike could be a mile a way or more. It would be great if it comes to me, and when I am done, it could park itself in a less crowded spot. It would also be great to have an inflatable Kermit the frog doll when it’s doing that.

[bobco85]

@AFHokie 177324 wrote:

Don’t leave your ride-share bike on a ferry:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2018-04-09/abandoned-bicycles-a-problem-for-coast-guard-ferries

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Interesting, I just read a local article on that yesterday. The ferry operators keep track of people that bring their vehicles/bicycles onto the ferry, so if a bicycle like a DoBi is remaining, they have to look for the owner and assume that there was a passenger overboard, costing thousands of dollars to the Coast Guard.

DoBi companies have been sending out messages to their customers telling them to either leave the DoBi’s at the docks or to bring them as carry-on.

[josh]

@bobco85 177328 wrote:

leave the DoBi’s at the docks

Something just seems a little fishy about that arrangement.

[Judd]

Tweet of the golden Mobike floating around DC:

https://twitter.com/maustermuhle/status/983658753122762753

[Dewey]

Interesting read from Portland 10 reasons why Uber buying JUMP may be a good thing for urban transit. Re: reasons #2, 4 & 7,
#2 Policy: Uber has the clout to ease regulation of pedelecs/Class 1 ebikes in cities where JUMP operates.
#4 Driver network: will we see Uber cars fitted with bike racks to redistribute dockless ebikeshare bikes?
#7 I’d love to see JUMP introduce cargo ebikeshare similar to Donk-EE in Cologne.

[Author]

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