By Kathy Chouteau
Bolt Mobility (Bolt)—Richmond’s first-ever bikeshare program—is no more, although you might still spot some e-bikes out on city streets.
According to Richmond Mayor Tom Butt in his E-Forum Saturday, the company cofounded by eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt that launched here last summer “went out of business without prior notification or removal of their capital equipment from city property.”
The mayor said that Bolt recently missed a monthly check-in meeting with City personnel and that they have been unresponsive to their clients not only in Richmond, but also “throughout all their markets.”
When the bikeshare program was still rolling in Richmond, a fleet of 250 electric-assist e-bikes were available at hub locations at the ferry terminal and BART stations.
The mayor said the City is “coming up with a plan to remove all the abandoned equipment,” and in the meantime is requesting that people refrain from vandalizing the bikes as they seek a resolution to the issue.
