Purple boards are coming to Newton soon.
Last year the city rolled out the popular Lime Bike program across the city. The ubiquitous pick- em-up-and-ride, dock-less, rental bikes were a big hit. Nicole Freedman, Newton’s Director of Transportation says “it’s time for more, smaller, faster”. These motorized skateboards are an exciting addition to the transportation mix. With the small size and a top speed of 25 MPH, you’ll be able to weave in and around traffic, and fly up the sidewalks to run all your local errands in record time.
Says Freedman, “this newest development is all part of the exciting global DOS-SWA transportation movement. Rather than cities attempting to micro-manage people’s transportation choices, the DOS-SWA philosophy is Dump-en On Streets, See What Happens.”.
These are exciting times indeed. I can’t wait for the next truckload of new rental transportation devices to hit our neighborhoods. Rumor has it that the city is already talking to Hot-Skates – self powered electric skates with insane 0-30 MPH acceleration that will rival a Tesla. Sign me up!!
Disclaimer: This was one of our many April Fools stories for 2019
The Newton Patch just reported the City’s newest purchase of 100 test burros which will be hitched at four test sites around the city: the first fleet-footed fleet of 25 to arrive this afternoon from the Grand Canyon will be stationed at Captain John Ryan Memorial Park, available to the Police Department for use in future emergencies during planned traffic jams on Washington Street. These new City employees will be outfitted with M16 rifles with biodegradable bullets and will wear diapers to collect fodder for the City compost heap. They will be issued skis from October through March.
I find the characterization of the Green Bikes as being popular as interesting. I’ve kept my eyes out for any sort of data that measures the usage and haven’t seen anything.
My perception is just based upon the usage I have observed which has been very limited
@Claire – my detailed data consists of me calling them “popular” above. That’s good enough for me.
The burros will be (ass)igned the task of collecting data to supplement Jerry’s characterizations. Hard data must drive our Municipal decisions, so the burros will use bluetooth in their smartphones to document all lime bikes observed.
Happy April Fools to you too Jerry
Data on lime bike usage is here.
http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/92221
This is not an April fools joke. Since launch in late July – Middle of Oct 14,428 rides by 4,963 different folks. By January there were another 4,500 rides even though the number of bikes available was significantly less.
Most rides were short distances. Allowing people to access the T or get off the T and go somewhere. I saw a couple that rode them to a BC football game to avoid the traffic. I rode them several times to run errands that were one direction like riding to Landry’s to pick up a bike being serviced.
I think they are wonderful.
And in the department of “not April Fools, but perfect timing” the launch of lime scooters in Brookline included a woman being injured when she fell off one.
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/04/01/brookline-scooter-bird-and-lime-launch-woman-injured/
Are the skateboards autonomous?
@Rick: no, they’re hooked up to the other 75 burros!
Article in Globe today. Lime bikes are getting rid of all peddle bike.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/04/08/will-electric-bikes-only-for-lime-rental-program-boston-suburbs/JyqhVdErcRKDvoCF2YkJ2H/story.html#comments
“Bourassa said it was Lime’s decision to phase out pedal bikes as a way to increase business.
“They were not breaking even last year,” Bourassa said”
Also Lime will require cities to off both the eBikes and the eScooters