After waiting all summer for Seattle to work out its rules for bikesharing companies, Uber’s JUMP has filed for a permit from the city to begin operating its service, according to a company representative.
“If JUMP is granted a permit, we will work hard to bring bikes to Seattle as quickly as possible, likely starting in the fall,” said Nathan Hambley, an Uber representative, in a statement emailed to GeekWire. The move comes as no surprise: JUMP has been demonstrating its bikeshare service, which includes dockless e-bikes, all around the city over the summer.
Assuming JUMP’s permit is granted, that means two companies will now be authorized to offer bikeshare services in Seattle, after Ofo and Spin dropped out of the market following the imposition of new rules and new fees for doing business in Seattle. Under the rules, four companies are permitted.