It’s going to cost more money to use Uber’s dockless electric Jump bikes in several cities across the US.
The pricing equation for Jump bikes varies by city. Initially, in Providence, Rhode Island, the e-bikes cost $2 to unlock, with the first 30 minutes free. The charge was $0.07 a minute after that. Now the bikes are free to unlock, but users have to pay $0.30 a minute from the start.
The change increases the cost of an hour ride to $18 from $4.10.
Pricing has also gone up in other cities including Los Angeles, where Jump prices increased to $0.30 a minute from $0.15. In Denver, the price climbed to $0.25 a minute from $0.15.
These price increases come just months after Uber went public in one of the biggest tech initial public offerings on record.
“We want to build a viable e-bike and e-scooter operation that allows us to serve riders for years to come,” an Uber representative said in an emailed statement.
“To support that we have introduced new pricing in our cities that brings us in line with the market so we can continue to deliver clean and reliable bikes and scooters with a sustainable business model.”
Uber said it had a plan to help low-income customers with the cost. The “Boost Plan” gives members 60 minutes of daily ride time for $5 a month. To enroll, riders must provide documentation to prove their eligibility.