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Rideshare e-scooters and e-bikes are close to returning to our streets under level 2.
Micro-mobility providers came together to create a safety protocol with the Ministry of Transport and WorkSafe. That plan is now under official review by the National Crisis Management Centre.
"Once we have a finalised safety protocol, we will be able to coordinate with local councils to safely resume our operations," a spokeswoman for the home-grown Flamingo says.
The e-scooter company anticipates being back on streets this week.
Flamingo made a foray into food delivery, becoming a two-wheeled Uber Eats-style service during the level 3 phase of the lockdown - and the spokeswoman said that service would continue alongside rideshare once that resumes.
"We are taking extra steps to sanitise our scooters, which includes additional sanitising on the street, as well as sanitising all scooters that pass through our warehouses," she said.
Returning soon. Photo / File
"Our cleaning procedures have been enhanced with a special focus on high touch areas. Each scooter will be sanitised at least every two to three rides and we will be recording and tracking the sanitisation of scooters on our systems.
Rideshare e-scooters will return on Thurs with level 2. Up for a spin?
"This will allow us to track how often scooters are sanitised, monitor the number of rides in between each clean and identify the scooters that require the most urgent cleaning," she said.
"We can also disable scooters and make them unavailable to customers until resanitisation."
Singapore-owned Beam said its Auckland warehouse staff would have mandatory temperature checks each day, and wear full protective gear while servicing its scooters - which would be disinfected at least once a day.
Lime back in the frame
Lime is not part of the current six-month Auckland Council licensing period, but will soon be back on the city's streets regardless thanks to financial machinations in the US.
A complex deal in the US last week saw Uber sell its Jump e-scooter and e-bike business to Lime as part of a US$170 million capital raise.
The terms give also give Uber - already a major investor in Lime - the deal to jump back in, so to speak, and buy Lime outright in two years' time.
I’ve never used one but the foam rubber handles on the scooters would be great for holding germs and bacteria on most days, regardless of #covid19nz ... quite a big risk vector?
"We are thrilled to join forces with Jump to offer expanded mobility options and services to cities around the world. In New Zealand, the deal is expected to close in a month," Lime NZ public affairs manager Lauren Mentjox said.
Lime won't comment further until the deal is finalised, but the Herald understands that Jump scooters will continue to feature on Uber's app after the deal is closed.
