Could electric scooters become the new bikeshare?
Cities are taking interest in electric scooter-share systems as an affordable commuting alternative to cut down on pollution and traffic congestion. The electric scooters, which weigh between 30 and 40 pounds, reach speeds of about 15 mph. In September, Santa Monica, California, became the first U.S. city to have an electric scooter-share service. Users find and unlock one of the more than 1,000 scooters with a smartphone app. A ride costs a minimum of $1, and then .15 cents for each minute of riding throughout the beach town. Bird, the startup operating the scooter-share, picks up the scooters every night to charge them, and places them around Santa Monica each morning for commuters. The company was created by former Uber and Lyft executive Travis VanderZanden after he realized ridesharing services didn’t have a positive impact on traffic congestion and carbon emissions.
cut down on – to reduce
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strenuous – requiring or using great effort or exertion