Mayor Ras J. Baraka of Newark, New Jersey this week announced that NewarkGo—the city’s first-ever shared bike and e-scooter pilot program—will launch a six-month pilot this month.
The pilot will provide up to 2,000 affordable electric scooters and bicycles and link city residents to jobs, schools, housing, health care facilities, the transit network, and other essential services.
Two companies, Bird Rides Inc. and Veoride Inc. (Veo), will be awarded permits to operate the short-term, shared micro-mobility service that will be available to residents and visitors citywide.
“While our schools, offices and businesses continue to reopen, NewarkGo can help Newarkers access all that our city has to offer,” Mayor Baraka said in a statement. “This safe, fast, and affordable service is the first new mode of transportation our city has seen in decades, and I look forward to partnering with Bird and Veo to build stronger connections between communities and open up new avenues of opportunity for people in every corner of this city.”
Bird and Veo, which will each offer up to 1,000 e-scooters and bikes, currently operate in more than 250 and 40 cities respectively. Newark’s shared dockless bike and e-scooter program will ensure that operators in Newark build on the best practices developed in cities across the country, the City says. They will provide service to communities in every ward, including communities with lower incomes and longer commutes; discounted ride options for qualifying residents; alternative rental services for people without access to cell phones or credit cards; and adaptive bike designs to accommodate people of different ages and abilities.
The City of Newark’s Department of Engineering oversaw the installation of bike and e-scooter parking corrals. The department dedicated the street and sidewalk space in downtown and throughout the city for Bird and Veo bikes and e-scooters, providing predictability for riders as well as dedicated parking areas.
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SOURCE: City of Newark
