If you live in Berkeley, California, you might have noticed some new equipment around town. Yes, Berkeley is one of the latest U.S. cities to participate in the electric bike and scooter trend, which is excellent news for commuters and tourists alike.
With more transportation options around town, it’s easier than ever to take advantage of everything Berkeley offers. New e-bikes and e-scooters allow people to choose micromobility transportation for commuting and personal transportation.
What is micromobility?
Micromobility refers to lightweight vehicles like electric bikes and scooters for short-term use. That can be anything from taking an e-scooter to visit a friend to using an e-bike to commute to work. Micromobility vehicles are usually rented through a self-service program, however, some riders have purchased their own vehicles.
What’s new in Berkeley?
In Berkeley, more than 1,000 micromobility vehicles will eventually be available for the public to rent. Those vehicles include stand-up or sit-down e-scooters and e-bikes.
Vendors started rolling out their products last month. Berkeley has adopted a set of regulations that includes having customers use an app to rent vehicles.
Micromobility vehicles will be able to travel throughout Berkeley except for the Cal campus. The rental companies will work with the university to create regulations for riders. Other riders will pay $1 per ride to unlock a scooter and 36 cents per minute to use them. Discounts are available to low-income residents.
Micromobility vehicles will give commuters a new set of options to move around the city and surrounding area. Rather than drive to the BART station, for example, people can use a micromobility vehicle to cover the shorter distance instead of taking a rideshare or driving themselves.
New commuter options, e-bikes, and e-scooters
Commuting isn’t exactly fun, at least not the traditional way. If you are sick of morning traffic or prefer not to ride mass transit because of Covid-19, the addition of e-bikes and scooters is great news for you.
For short-range commuters, e-bikes and scooters are easy to use and relatively fast. They can offer a new perspective on the city you call home.
E-bikes and e-scooters are a great alternative to traditional gas-powered transportation, and some people choose them over manual bikes and scooters. Micromobility transportation also has significant environmental benefits and having an e-bike or e-scooter in town can help.
Here’s a list of advantages of having micromobility transportation options in a city like Berkeley.
Reduced emissions
One of the biggest advantages of using e-bikes and e-scooters is that they have much lower emissions and a smaller carbon footprint than cars or trucks. Reduced emissions can also improve health outcomes and make Berkeley a better place to live.
Less traffic
When more people are using micromobility transportation options, that’s fewer people on the main roadways clogging streets and creating traffic.
That’s good news for everyone since less traffic is better to drive in, gets you to where you’re going faster, and is even safer.
Less noise pollution
E-bikes and e-scooters are significantly quieter than vehicles with gas-powered engines. That means that the streets will also be quieter, which is better for your health and stress levels.
More affordable
Renting micromobility transportation from a fleet of bikes and scooters is also cheaper than using a car or only using a car to get around. The cost for a single trip is usually low, and you don’t have to worry about paying for fuel or maintenance to keep the bike or scooter in good condition.
Plus, since the average bike or scooter can be used several times a day by several different people, you aren’t the only one covering the costs of its maintenance through the rental company. That means that using bikes and scooters can be significantly cheaper than other forms of transportation, even over the same short distances.
Better access to public transportation
Let’s face it, there aren’t many U.S. cities that are designed for easy access to public transportation. Without easy access, public transportation options are less accessible and eat more of your time than most people can afford.
Micromobility options help address some of those problems by making it easier to get to a local bus stop or train station and an easy way to get home.
Edenred offers micromobility transportation options for employees. While micromobility is not eligible for commuter benefits, companies can set up programs where employees can use a prepaid card to purchase micromobility rentals. There are also exclusive programs and discounts from our partners that are available.
Are you interested in offering micromobility commuting options to your employees? Schedule a meeting with us so you can learn more about what programs will work best for your business.
