Ryan Massey and Julia Romero
6 minutes ago
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – As collaborative electric scooters turn sidewalks into parking lots across the country, a micromobility company serving Las Vegas is hoping a different kind of business model will change local perceptions.
San Francisco-based Go X has officially launched a fleet of 100 electric scooters in parts of unincorporated Clark County and the city of Las Vegas. Through the app, a rider unlocks a scooter that he finds for $1 and allows him to travel at a speed of 0.88 cents per minute.
CEO Alexander Debelov argues that it's more attractive to city governments and law enforcement than other well-known scooter-sharing businesses like Lime and Bird.
“There [were] A lot of other companies are doing something very similar, where they come into cities and throw thousands of scooters onto city streets and have people take them everywhere. It was very irresponsible,” DeBroff said at a news conference. Thursday virtual interview.
In contrast, Go X has partnered with eight companies in the Valley to serve as homing beacons. Scooters can only be picked up and dropped off at these locations. In return, those companies receive a commission for every ride that departs from them.
Riders who have already entered their payment information into the app and leave their scooters elsewhere could be fined up to $100.Deveroff says their concept is already popular in 15 U.S. cities.
“When you come to Las Vegas, your options are to walk, take an Uber, or maybe even rent a car, but the parking lots are full and you're going to have a problem. The truth is, there aren't that many different options.” said Deveroff about what he feels is a lack of transportation diversity in the Las Vegas Valley.
Go X comes about five years after Nevada began regulating electric scooters and bicycles through the passage of AB485 in 2019. By law, passengers using these services must be at least 16 years old and scooters must not exceed 20 miles per hour. Riders also do not need to hold a valid driver's license.
Since then, local authorities have seized the opportunity to introduce new joint scooter operations. Those currently operating here require scooter rentals to be picked up and returned at the same location.
The Consumer Safety Commission's 2023 study reported a nearly 21% increase in injuries from e-bikes and e-scooters from 2021 to 2022. The majority of these injuries involve children.
So far in 2024, a 15-year-old girl has died while crossing Henderson Street on an electric scooter in February. A total of eight passengers died throughout 2023. Other traffic-related fatalities have nearly doubled in LVMPD jurisdiction since this time last year.
Deveroff claims his scooter uses internal geofencing technology to prevent certain dangerous situations. The scooter can reach a maximum speed of 15 mph, but automatically slows down to 5 mph in certain areas.
In high-traffic pedestrian areas such as Fremont Street and the Strip, the scooters will stop and alert riders through the app. Deveroff added riding requirements that exceed those required by Nevada law.
“You must agree to all terms and conditions before you start the ride. You must be of a certain age. You must ensure that you have a driving license. Some sections are not accessible. . There will be speed limits in certain zones. Certain areas will be completely cut off and you will not be able to go there, ”Deveroff said. “We want this to be safe, great, fun, and an incredible benefit to the city, not the other way around.”
Go The app encourages riders to stay on the road, but in bike lanes it reminds riders to avoid pedestrians if they are on the sidewalk.
The eight companies currently partnering with Go X are:
- Howard Johnson by Wyndham
- Nirvana Hotel
- Vegas Slingshot Rental #1
- Vegas Slingshot Rental #2
- Old Havana Cigar Lounge
- lockdown escape room
- Strip View Cafe
- XO Mini Mart
