Uber just added its dockless bikes to Austin’s growing fleet

Uber, the app that has more or less become the generic term for “ride-hailing,” has introduced Jump, its electric dockless bikesharing system, to Austin Monday, NBC affiliate KXAN reported.

The city has had some bumps along the road in deciding how to regulate dockless bikeshare and, especially, scooter systems that recently flooded local streets, but seems to have ironed out many of them with an April ordinance that contains requirements for owning the businesses and using the vehicles.

Still, the city might have trouble keeping up with the pace of technology new to its roads, trails, and sidewalks—at least at the current, unprecedented scale. With the exception of wheelchairs motorized for ADA accessibility and some parks and areas specifically designated for off-road bike use, electric and motorized vehicles are prohibited on many of the area’s public “recreational areas,” which include hike-and-bike and recreational trails.

Kimberly A. McNeeley, the acting director of the the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, issued a memorandum July 29 announcing a two-week public awareness campaign “intended to appropriately inform the public of regulations associated with motorized vehicles.” the campaign will take place July 1 through July 15.

According to the KXAN story, Uber clarified that Jump users renters should still lock the bikes to bike racks or use geofencing when finished riding. Riders can use either the Uber or the JUMP mobile app to check out a bike.

According to a Monday KUT-FM tweet, there should be 250 or so on them on the street at present:

• Uber launches dockless bicycles in Austin [KXAN]