Uber is expanding its JUMP bike-share service to additional neighborhoods in Seattle, pledging to add 2,000 new bikes to its fleet over the next few weeks.
The new service area includes Queen Anne, West Seattle, Georgetown, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, the University District, and parts of additional north end neighborhoods. At launch, JUMP’s service had only 500 bikes available to rent in Seattle’s urban core.
Last week, Uber made headlines for the $25 fee it charges riders who leave bikes outside the service area. The fee raised questions about whether Uber was complying with Seattle’s permit regulations, which require bike-share operators to serve neighborhoods historically neglected by transportation providers.
Nathan Hambley, a spokesperson for Uber, told GeekWire the fee is automatically displayed in the JUMP app in all markets to discourage riders from leaving bikes outside the service boundary. He said no riders in Seattle had been charged the fee.
Uber plans to expand its JUMP service to all neighborhoods in Seattle in the coming months.
