Too hot to walk? Too lazy to drive? If you’re in the Bandar Utama area, you’re in luck – electric scooter-sharing service Beam is now available in four spots around the area, enabling those living or working in the area to cut down on travel time between specific points in the sprawling area.
Beam Malaysia launcher Ng Hui Lin stated in a press release that the eScooters are available at four designated parking spots across Bandar Utama: the main entrance of 1 Utama New Wing and Old Wing, and nearby the First Avenue and 8 First Avenue office towers.
Those imagining themselves zooming through 1 Utama on a scooter during their shopping spree will have to give up that pipe dream, as Ng clarified that the eScooters are only meant for outdoor use and not to be ridden through the mall.
Users unlock the eScooters using the Beam app and pay an initial RM2.50 unlock fee, then another 75sen per minute of use. The rate is higher than in Kuala Lumpur where the startup's scooters are already available – the unlocking fee there is RM2, then 60sen per minute of use.
For the initial rollout, 30 eScooters have been deployed in the four locations, with plans to add more units and parking locations soon. In comparison, the startup has 70-plus parking locations for its scooters in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
“This partnership (with Bandar Utama City Centre Sdn Bhd) strives to improve urban mobility by providing residents and visitors an efficient and sustainable alternative to travel around the city,” she said.
Ng said the company wants to encourage responsible parking and scooter sharing habits by placing the QR code, which users scan to end the trip and determine their bill, at designated parking bays. This was done partly to avoid unwanted scenarios where scooters are left parked haphazardly everywhere, as well as to make them more easily accessible for the next rider.
The scooters are available from 6am to 12am daily.
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