Spin scooters are now available to rent in Cache Valley. The ride-share company partnered with Aggie Blue Bikes to launch the pilot program lasting through mid- July. This gives the company an opportunity to gauge the level of interest in the community and potentially make the program permanent in Cache Valley.
“It’s going to be a fun thing to watch,” said Carter Moore, a mechanic at Aggie Blue Bikes. “To see the reaction from people, to see if Cache Valley is really accepting of these scooters, to see if these become a really good staple of transportation.”
They work the same way as the bikes do. You download the Spin app, locate a nearby scooter with the app’s GPS system, and scan the QR code on the scooter to start your ride. Once you’re done, you lock the scooter and you are automatically charged based on the length of your ride.
Unlike the spin bikes around town, the scooters are slightly more expensive to rent and are powered electrically.
“They have to stay on campus, so they won’t be commuting tools," Moore said. "But they’ll be great for if you’re running late to class and you just need to get across campus really fast and you’d like to have a little zip with it.”
Cache Valley’s push to alternative transportation highlights issues for bike and scooter commuters.
“It’s really outlined the need for more bike racks. The need for more bike parking by homes, apartments, just in general,” said Zackary Gregory, Aggie Blue Bikes shop manager.
He hopes the Spin bikes and scooters will not only push people to be more active and use their cars less, but will also encourage city planners to implement bike racks and bike lanes for the safety of everyday commuters.
