by The Cowl Editor on November 9, 2018
Campus
By Kyle Burgess ’21
Over the course of Providence College history, the preferred methods of transportation available to PC students have been a leisurely walk across campus or the occasional golf cart ride for those fortunate enough to hitch one.
This has all changed, however, with the recent addition of electric scooters. These scooters have been added to the traveling repertoire of many students, who have been seen whizzing around Friartown on their new sets of wheels both on and off campus.
The scooters are part of the vision laid out by the creators of JUMP Bikes to create on-demand electric bikes and scooters to help customers “take you farther, get there faster, and make every ride fun” as stated on the company’s website.
JUMP services are provided through its parent company, Uber, the well-known technology platform allowing users to request rides from on-demand private drivers.
Since Uber’s takeover of JUMP in early 2018, electric bikes and scooters have burst onto the transportation scene across the country in cities like Sacramento, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, New York, and now Providence.
JUMP clients are charged $2 for the first half hour of usage and then $0.07 afterwards for the chance to cruise in the slick-painted scooters with a top speed of 20 mph.
Despite peaked interest in the eco-friendly platform amongst students, PC has urged community members to adhere to its policies regarding motorized vehicles.
In an email from the Office of Public Safety sent out to the PC community on Nov. 5, students were reminded that the use of motorized forms of transportation on campus is prohibited, which includes JUMP’s e-scooters.
As such, it is likely that we will experience a gradual drop in scooter sightings at PC as the school year progresses.