Jump, the e-bike and e-scooter company owned by Uber, got renewed hope Tuesday for its bid to join San Francisco’s scooter cohort, although it didn’t prove that its previous rejection by the city was unfair.
Jump was among 10 applicants not selected for the first phase of the city’s pilot program with e-scooters, which started Oct. 15 with two companies, Skip and Scoot, both based in San Francisco. Jump appealed, claiming that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency was biased against it because of Uber’s perceived misdeeds.
An agency hearing officer said the selection process was fair, but recommended that Jump should be considered for phase two of the pilot, which starts April 15, and could see the city’s total allotment of scooters doubled to 2,500.
“Jump’s record in its stationless bike share program in the city has been exceptional, and as an experienced and well-qualified vendor, I would expect that its stationless e-scooter program would be just as effective,” wrote hearing officer James Doyle. “Allowing additional capable operators to participate in the pilot program will also enhance (its) probability of success.”
Jump has rented its bright red free-floating e-bikes in San Francisco since January and now has 500 on city streets plus 50 in the Presidio.
A week ago Doyle issued a similar decision about an appeal by San Francisco startup Spin, which is now owned by Ford Motor Co. He found no bias in the city’s rejection of Spin but recommended that Spin be considered for the second phase of the pilot program.
