Providence riders to pay more for electric bike share

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Providence residents are paying more for a ride on the city’s popular electric bikes.

JUMP, an Uber-owned company, announced a change in its pricing model Monday.

A $2 fee now buys only six minutes and 40 seconds on the electrified bike share.

Last week, that same $2 could buy a 30-minute ride. An hour-long ride costs more than four times as much, going from $4.10 to $18.

The company says it has also “temporarily paused” the monthly subscription service.

JUMP riders and city officials criticized the new fee structure.

The Providence Journal reports that city spokesman Ben Smith says Providence is “disappointed in this fee increase.”

Smith says the city will advocate for JUMP to reevaluate the price changes and expects the monthly plan to return soon.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com