Beam starts in Tauranga

Beam is introducing up to 400 e-scooters in Tauranga from December 4 and, at the same time, is launching its ‘Summer Smart’ digital and in-app safety campaign there.

The e-scooters are accessible via downloading the Beam app and scanning the QR code on the e-scooters which cost $1 to unlock and from 45 cents per minute to ride and includes ‘virtual docking’ to protect city amenity, and an in-app and in person safety school for rider and community education.

The ‘Beam Safe Academy’ aims to educate riders on local riding rules and safe handling of e-scooters and includes pre-trip in-app safety briefings for every rider featuring instructions on how to park and ride safely, an in-app Beam Safety Quiz educating riders on the riding rules with free credits offered to encourage rider education, Beam Safety Ambassadors patrolling high-traffic areas and promoting safe riding and parking, and a three-strikes policy with riders facing suspension for bad riding and parking offences or even permanent bans for law breaking and riding dangerously.

The ’Summer Smart’ project reminds e-scooter riders to not drink and ride, put their phone away while riding, one person per e-scooter (no tandem riding) and to park responsibly.

“We’re excited to be bringing our purple fleet to Tauranga, and to be building on Tauranga’s public transport offering over the next two years,” says Beam’s Tauranga operations manager Jackson Jebelselvan.

“We’re committed to investing in the local community, with new technology to improve safety and accessibility of our e-scooters, and new community programs to enable Tauranga businesses and community groups to unlock the benefits of shared micromobility.

“Safety is our first priority, and we are committed to enforcing safe riding, in collaboration with the police,” Jebelselvan explains.

“We invest in rider education, prevention and deterrence, but above all, even the safest e-scooter requires a safer rider, and we ask that people do the right thing – that means wear a helmet, follow the road rules.”

Concession rates are available via Beam’s concession pricing programme ‘Beam for All’.