Asbury Park First to Offer E Scooters in New Jersey

Asbury Park will be the first in New Jersey to provide an electronic scooter–the Superpedestrian’s LINK –to residents and beach goers in an exclusive three-year deal.

 The first of 50 silver and bright yellow vehicles will be available for use later this spring growing to a fleet of 250, with a focus on inter-neighborhood access and connections to NJ TRANSIT, according to a release.

“We are thrilled to offer our LINK scooters to Asbury Park residents,” said William Knapp, VP of Operations at Superpedestrian. “As we continue to live through the COVID-19 pandemic, safe, sustainable, and accessible modes of transport are increasingly important. We look forward to serving Asbury Park residents and visitors to the shore with our unique LINK scooters, engineered for rider safety and convenient individualized transport.”

Link uses in-board Artificial Intelligence that autonomously performs vehicle maintenance, which the company says ensures every vehicle is safe before every ride. To do this, the scooter uses five computers that work together to monitor every component thousands of times per second, instantly self-repair electronic systems, and flag mechanical components for maintenance if needed. In addition, Superpedestrian will host safety workshops and free helmet distribution for residents prior to launching. 

To ride a LINK scooter, users will download the LINK mobile app from their iOS or Android app store, and use the app to scan a scooter’s QR code. LINK also has accommodations for riders without smartphones. Rides cost $1 to unlock a scooter plus 35 cents per minute. Asbury Park residents receiving local, state or federal assistance will qualify for a 70 percent discount under the “LINK-Up” program.

Superpedestrian is seeking input from Asbury Park residents who have suggestions for deployment locations. Community members will be able to submit their ideas and feedback on the company’s Asbury Park website, which will launch in May.