By CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA | Reporter
Dockless bikes and scooters are making their way to Pacific Palisades, according to Kaajal Laungani, a representative of Uber-owned Jump at the Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting on Oct. 11.
The bike and scooter company founded in 2010 currently transports tourists and locals in Santa Monica, and has started its “public outreach process” in Los Angeles, in hopes of expanding a reach that currently exists in major cities like San Francisco, Denver and Washington, D.C.
“In 2017 we rebranded as Jump and became the first dockless bike share, e-bike company in North America,” Laungani said. “We are best known for our bright orange bikes that operate by a peddle assist and are used by many to commute to work or just enjoy their neighborhoods.”
The bikes have a top speed of 20 miles per hour with scooters reaching 15 miles per hour.
Along with tourists, the scooters transport a controversial history with the city of Santa Monica that led a citywide effort to crack down on scooter-ridden sidewalks and riders without helmets.
As a result, the city of Santa Monica allowed Bird, Lime, Lyft and Jump to operate up to 250 scooters for 18 months.
“I want to stress to all of you that we are learning through other scooter operators that exist and that have come before us and are here to receive any feedback that you may have on how to make these work in your neighborhood,” Laungani said.
Jump has also begun implementing charging stations for its bikes as a way to keep more bikes available and ready to use, but no specifics have been decided as to where such stations would be placed throughout Pacific Palisades.
One of the biggest concerns for users and neighbors is the abandonment of scooters and bikes that block sidewalks and driveways as well as riders taking up space on walkways and crashing with pedestrians.
“It comes down to rider education,” said Laungani, when asked what was being done to prevent that from happening in the Palisades. “That’s where it will be really important to us to make sure that were working with other community organizations.”
Currently operating with a conditional use permit, Jump is working on obtaining a permanent one as it looks to expand.
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