Proposal could turn Seattle bike-share program all-electric
Aug 29, 2016, 5:29 AM | Updated: 12:51 pm
As March comes to an end, so does Seattle's bike-share program. (Joe Mabel / Flickr)
(Joe Mabel / Flickr)
The leading bidder to operate Seattle’s troubled bike-share program is proposing an all-electric fleet, raising suspicions the city could end up ditching the nonelectric bikes and station equipment it just bought.
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Seattle officials plan to select a company to expand and run the troubled Pronto bike-share system as soon as this week, The Seattle Times reports.
The city purchased the bike-share program in March.
The current leading bidder, Bewegen, is an electric bike company out of Quebec, according to an Aug. 3 memo to City Council members.
Transportation Department Chief Scott Kubly’s former company, Motivate, is among the top bidders, but does not hold the highest ranking, the Times said.
Kubly agreed in a June 21 settlement to pay $5,000 for two violations of Seattle’s Ethics Code. The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission cited Kubly because, as Seattle’s transportation official, he was involved in negotiations with his former bike-share employer. Kubly never obtained a conflict of interest waiver and didn’t file a disclosure form until September 15.
Kubly is not on the city’s bid-evaluation team.
