New Electric Bike Share Program Launches In Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A new electric bike share program launched Saturday in Baltimore, adding a new form of transportation to the city's dockless fleet.
"It was beautiful. It was very comfortable. The ride was smooth," Vivian Lomax, of Baltimore, said.
Cyclists had the chance to take the new JUMP electric bikes for a spin. In total, 75 have been placed throughout Baltimore, available for anyone with a smartphone to rent.
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"I think it's wonderful because there is a bike shortage, and people are looking for bikes and can't purchase them," Lomax said.
The bikes join Baltimore's fleet of dockless electric scooters and will provide another form of transportation to those traveling through the city.
"I think it's important to remember that not everyone has a car, not everyone is comfortable riding a scooter," Meg Young, of the Baltimore Department of Transportation, said. "We really just want to have more options for people."
These are e-bikes. There's an electric engine in it and while it doesn't do all the work, it provides a boost to get you going.
The e-bikes cost $1 to unlock and 39 cents a minute after that. While they may currently only be available to those with smartphones, bike advocates see this as a step in the right direction.
"Having the baskets on the e-bikes just makes it a better transportation option for a lot of people," Jed Weeks, of Bikemore, said.
For everyone that came out to try one of the e-bikes, they got to go home with a helmet to keep them safe while riding.