Rental Mopeds to Hit Sacramento Streets
A new San Francisco startup company is extending its operations to the streets of Sacramento, where it will be offering electric mopeds for monthly rental. The company behind the new scooters is Zebra Inc., and they began delivering their vehicles to Sacramento customers in early November.
What are Zebra Mopeds?
While Sacramento residents are very familiar with free-floating scooter solutions like Lime, Bird, and Jump, these mopeds operate a little differently. Firstly, Zebra mopeds will be used by a single rider at a time, meaning that they won’t be left at random locations, and customers can feel safe knowing that their ride won’t be picked up by another user. Secondly, Zebra mopeds operate on a month-to-month basis, making them a more viable option for regular commuting.
Michael Brown, the company’s chief revenue officer, said that their company “didn’t think free-floating scooters were a car replacement” but that commuters would be able to rely on their mopeds for longer commutes. Zebra mopeds cost $99 per month, a price that includes a helmet and vehicle maintenance. Furthermore, the top speed of the mopeds is only 30 miles per hour, meaning that anyone with a valid California driver’s license can operate one.
Why Sacramento?
Zebra launched their company in San Diego just this summer and have already rented around 400 to 500 scooters in the area. Brown told reporters that the company chose to expand to Sacramento because of how popular Jump bicycles are in the city. Brown also said that Zebra’s decision to move into Sacramento was influenced by revitalization projects like the Golden 1 Center.
The city has been working to stand out as a center for transportation innovation through various efforts. In 2017, Sacramento launched it’s Autonomous Transportation Open Standards Lab to aid with the development of safe autonomous vehicles. Sacramento also provided funds for the California Mobility Center, which will serve as a research hub for innovations in electric transportation. On top of all this, the city is slated to receive a subsidy of $40 million dollars from Electrify America to support electric vehicle infrastructure.
Rental Scooters and Accidents
Over recent years, free-floating rental scooters have become wildly popular in Californian cities. While these electric vehicles may be a good way to easily get around, they present the risk of accidents just like any other motorcycle, bicycle, scooter, or car. While solid statistics aren’t yet available, Consumer Reports has indicated that hospitals have reported at least 1,500 electric scooter-related injuries during the past year.
While Zebra scooters are more like motorcycles than other app-based rental vehicles, riders are still vulnerable and lack the protections of a normal passenger car. Because of this, accidents can easily cause serious injuries, and it’s important to take extra caution in order to keep yourself safe.
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Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney. Collisions can be serious. If you were hurt in a motorcycle or scooter crash, get in touch with our injury attorneys at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for some free, friendly advice about your case.
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