DAVIS, Calif. — The city of Davis will soon have a shared e-bike and e-scooter program, effective Sept. 1.
According to a news release from the city, Spin – who is headquartered in San Francisco – was selected by the city and UC Davis campus through a bid process.
Spin started community outreach Monday ahead of deploying some devices on Sept. 1 and eventually the full fleet of 400 e-bikes and 200 e-scooters will be available once UC Davis’ fall quarter begins.
The agreement lasts three years and there’s an option for annual renewals after that.
“I’m encouraged by all the work done with UC Davis, Spin and City staff to tailor this program to our community’s needs and desires,” said Mayor Will Arnold. “Many discussions and iterations took place to help resolve past issues and assist those in our community that want more sustainable transportation or don’t have access to a vehicle. Our partnership with UC Davis continues to reflect shared goals, investments and values.”
The city’s news release says they worked with Spin to find solutions to complaints about parking, speed and distribution after a previous pilot with a different company.
Riders will be charged if devices are parked incorrectly and Spin requires riders to submit a photo of it parked before the ride is allowed to end. The company will also redistribute devices throughout the day to make sure they’re in higher-use areas.
Meanwhile, the city will add more bike racks to help with parking and certain areas will be designated as slow zones or no-ride zones.
All Spin riders must have a driver’s license and be 18 or older. To rent a device you’ll need the Spin app and it costs $1 to unlock a device plus 32 cents per minute. There are, however, several low-cost plans.
For more information on the program, click here.
