S.F. startup offers scooter rentals

[Duer 157099]

http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/S-F-startup-offers-scooter-rentals-3895387.php#photo-3505840

Founded last fall, Scoot Networks operates as a membership service. Customers sign up on the company's website, scootnetworks.com, creating an account with their driver's license and credit card information. They then set up an appointment with a Scoot representative who meets with them face-to-face and makes sure that they know how to ride a scooter. To reserve a scooter, customers check the Scoot Networks app on their smartphones. The app will tell them which scooters are available at nearby stations and show them how much battery charge each of them has left.

The customer chooses a scooter and plugs his or her phone into the scooter's dash, which has a docking port where the speedometer should be. From that point forward, the phone acts as the dashboard, showing speed, battery charge and a map of the scooter's location. Two helmets - one large, one small - sit in a box on the back of the scooter, accessed with a key stored under the seat. Only after the scooter has been reserved can someone open the seat or turn on the scooter.

Signing up for the service costs $10. After that, customers pay a $5 monthly fee. Checking out a scooter for an hour costs another $5. Or for $10, you can rent the scooter for a full day or a full night. Basic third-party liability insurance is included in the membership fees.

What a great concept. I hope it takes off so there are stations all over the place, and in other cities.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Cooool ! Thanks

[Atman]

2. Damn good thing he built his own internet!

And roads and sidewalks.

Cool idea!