June 15, 2018
Councilmembers Mike O’Brien and Rob Johnson
Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Avenue
2nd Floor
Seattle, WA 98104
Dear Councilmembers,
JUMP Bikes is writing to the City of Seattle to express our desire to help make bike share a cornerstone of
Seattle’s transportation system. Affordable and green, bikeshare has the potential to ease congestion and make
transportation fun and reliable. For those residents who live and work far away from public transportation, bikes
can be an incredible first / last mile option and provide key access to employment and recreation opportunity.
Seattle has pioneered dockless bike sharing in North America with the first large-scale pilot and JUMP commends
the City of Seattle and SDOT for their groundbreaking effort.
JUMP offers an electric pedal-assist bike share system with unique features like lock-to technology and an
on-bike interface that enables phone-free access, transit card integration, and more. Our model of bike share has
been quickly adopted in cities across the world, including San Francisco, Chicago, Sacramento, Washington D.C.,
and over 40 markets around the world.
Our global footprint is possible because JUMP’s version of bikeshare prioritizes non-riders. Our lock-to
technology and local staff ensure clutter is kept to a minimum and that bike convenience does not come at the
expense of the public right of way.
JUMP commends the City of Seattle, and specifically the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), for
welcoming dockless bike share. With 480,000 trips and nearly a third of Seattle residents participating, the
dockless bike share system, championed by SDOT, has changed the way residents and visitors move around
Seattle. While the program’s success is clear, data released by SDOT identified a number of key challenges.
With the pilot period ending, SDOT has an opportunity to establish a sustainable bikeshare system that builds on
the earlier success while prioritizing for riders and non-riders alike. Below, we identify three key issues based on
the data released by SDOT and recommend solutions that can be implemented in within the permanent permit
regulations. We look forward to discussing these ideas in greater detail.
CHALLENGE

SOLUTION

Improper Bike Parking
SDOT reported 30% of bikes are
improperly parked and 85% of 311
calls related to dockless were
negative, with many focused on
improper bike parking.

Lock-To
JUMP’s lock-to technology helps cities control the clutter that
self-locking dockless bikes can create. By securing bikes to physical
infrastructure, the City can ensure the public right of way is kept clear
while promoting accountability between operators and riders. Less
than .5% of all trips result in a parking complaint in our JUMP DC
system. We encourage the City to express a preference for lock-to
technology in the permit regulations.

 Low Utilization
SDOT reported 0.85 daily trips per
bike, a low ridership level that raises
concerns about the long term
sustainability of bike share services.

E-Bike Provisions
To increase utilization, both by drawing new riders to begin using
bikeshare and encouraging residents to use bikes more often, SDOT
should enact rules to ensure different types of bikes are included in the
bikeshare system. For trips less than one mile in flat areas,
conveniently located pedal bikes are attractive, but for commuters or
those traveling more than two miles or on hilly routes, e-bikes may
make more sense. As those longer trips replace car trips and ease
congestion, SDOT should consider rules that encourage the
deployment of electric assist bikes. JUMP also recommends utilizing
the Class 1 standard under WA state law for pedal assist bikes
regarding maximum assisted speed, motor wattage, etc.

Bike Safety and Robustness
There have been public reports of
vandals snipping brake cables which
puts public safety at risk, as well as
high rates of bike vandalism and theft.

Bike Quality Provision
Seattle should enforce minimum bike quality standards, like enclosed
brake cabling, wheel-locks, proprietary screw heads, and other
features. Other cities like Austin require evidence of 3rd party testing
and also employ a bike inspection by the regulatory agency. JUMP’s
bike is designed for the rigors of continual public use, and these
regulations are in the interest of public safety.

We appreciate the hard work that has already gone into developing Seattle’s permit program and look forward to
working with you and SDOT to provide a responsible, sustainable, and manageable bike share option that can
serve Seattle residents for years to come.
Sincerely,

Avra van der Zee
Chief Strategy Officer & General Counsel
CC:

Goran Sparrman, Interim Director, SDOT
Evan Corey, New Mobility Program Manager, Transit & Mobility, SDOT
Joel Miller, Bike Share Program Manager, SDOT