Thanks to a pilot program for electric scooters and bikes established by the City of Santa Monica, in order to prime the pump for more ridership, Jump by Uber is giving out free helmets.

The two main requirements any electric scooter rider needs to have at least in the City of Santa Monica is to be 18 years and older and to have a helmet. In order to lower at least one of those barriers to entry, Jump by Uber is giving out free helmets and is heavily subsidizing scooter helmets by partnering with two helmet providers nearby. As per Jump on their official website earlier yesterday (Oct 2., 2018) they’re handing out these stylish black helmets with JUMP decaled on them six days a week in Santa Monica, LA from 12 P.M. to 7 P.M. Check out the link in the url above or click here. 

Here’s where they’re giving out the free helmets!


NBC 4 Los Angeles reports that just two weeks ago on the 17th, in the 8,416 square miles that is Santa Monica, 3,000 electrified scooters and bikes were dropped on city sidewalks and “nests” in one fell swoop as part of a pilot program.

Four companies were awarded permits. Bird and Lime used up all 750 of their permits for electric scooters while Lyft and Jump opted for 500 e-bikes and 250 electric scooters each.

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Smartly enough, Santa Monica didn’t approve these permits, part of a 16-month pilot program, without a couple of strings attached.

According to the city, the companies chosen to participate in the pilot program must pay a base operator fee of $20,000, along with a per-device fee of $130 per year. The Santa Monica City Council earlier voted to impose a “public right-of-way fee” assessed on shared-mobility devices. The fee is $1 per day per device, with the money earmarked for “improvements like expanding sidewalks, green lanes and other changes that make walking, biking, scooter riding and moving around Santa Monica easier and safer.”

It’s egregious that some electric scooter programs actually dumped hundreds of scooters on city streets without even a heads up to local city council. At least, this way, scooters can operate within the city and pay up to improve the infrastructure on which they ride.

I seriously hope that this pilot program is a success and is a boon for the city, moneywise.

So, y’all get your free helmets. If it advertently means improving roads, sidewalks, and city infrastructure, by all means, protect those noggins and rent an electric scooter by Jump!

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