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Uber is mainly known for its famous app that allows people to get a ride from someone wherever they are, or even order food and have it delivered to their house from the Uber Eats app. However, it now seems that Uber is trying to expand their business after they recently bought a bike sharing company called “Jump Bikes.”
Similar to Uber, Jump Bikes provides a method of transportation for customers; the big difference is that Uber provides a car and Jump offers electric bicycles. Jump only has nine locations where bikes are offered (California being one of them), unlike Uber which has numerous locations worldwide.
“I’ve used Uber a few times and the experience has been pretty good. The drivers are usually pretty friendly, so I’m excited to see what’s going to happen with the bike share company,” sophomore Mary Messih said.
Jump actually owns the electric bicycles that they provide since they bought the rights for a bike share system with Social Bicycles. They offer the first ever smart-bikes with integrated GPS, payment systems and safer locks to decrease the risk of the being stolen. For more information on how you can ride one of these bikes or the locations that are offered, you can visit their website.
“Although I haven’t used Uber before, this combination of the two companies sounds like an even more efficient way for people to get around places,” sophomore Megan Doan said.
The news of Uber buying the bike share company first came out on April 9, and the sale is reportedly going to exceed a cost of $100 million. Both Uber and Jump are looking to expand to various modes of transportation, which was why this combination was good for the both of them.
Right now, Uber is going through a trial run where customers are able to find and reserve the bikes from Jump through the Uber app. These companies are also looking to provide a cost-efficient mode of transportation; currently Jump costs $2 for a 30 minute ride.
“Uber is a really efficient way to get around places, especially for people that don’t have a car. I would try out the new bikes because it seems like a fun concept,” sophomore Marissa Gonzalez said.
Jump is one of the most popular bike sharing companies in Washington D.C., but they are now looking to expand elsewhere. Combining these two companies will provide customers with methods of transportation that could help save the environment as well as giving them a form of exercise.
Although Jump is not as well known as Uber, it seems likely that merging them together will make it as popular as Uber.
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