A new brand of e-scooters is hitting the streets of Tauranga from today.

Up to 400 Beam purple e-scooters will be introduced to the city, accessible via downloading the Beam app and scanning the QR code on the e-scooters.

The app-based service will feature affordable pay-as-you-go rates ($1 to unlock and from $0.45 per minute to ride), ‘virtual docking’ to protect city amenity, and an in-app and in person safety school for rider and community education.

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

Beam’s ‘Beam Safe Academy’, the company’s major safety education and enforcement program, will be in place to educate riders on local riding rules and safe handling of e-scooters.

The program includes:

-A pre-trip in-app safety briefing 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, promoting safe riding and parking.

-A three-strikes policy, with riders facing suspension for bad riding and parking offences. Those caught riding dangerously or breaking the law face permanent bans.

In addition, Beam’s annual safety campaign ‘Summer Smart’ will today be launched in Tauranga, with the digital and in-app campaign focusing on reminding riders of key riding rules:

-It’s illegal to drink and ride. 

-Put your phone away while riding - Just like when driving a car, it’s illegal to use your phone whilst riding an e-scooter.

-No tandem riding - Stick to one person on an e-scooter.

-Park responsibly, with your e-scooter parked kerbside.

"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.

“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.”