San Franciscan authorities are taking action against local e-scooter company Go X. According to the city’s attorney, Go X has been using phony permits and owes the city over $230,000 in fines.
In a recently revealed cease-and-desist letter, SF Attorney Dennis Herrera says he wants Go X to halt all operations by January 18, 2020. In this letter, Herrera also points out Go X has received over 500 citations within a 10-month period.
Go X executives say they were shocked when they received the cease-and-desist letter. Go X’s CEO Alex Debelov said he worked with the Chamber of Commerce to gain legal use of the city’s seal on his company’s permits.
Debelov also pointed out his company works differently than other rideshare companies. Instead of letting users place e-scooters on the streets, Go X users must leave their devices inside partner businesses. Riders who place Go X scooters on sidewalks or streets have to pay the company a fine.
Since Go X first appeared in May of 2019, the company says over 70 hotels and shops have agreed to work with Go X. In exchange for holding e-scooters, each of these companies receives a percentage of Go X’s profits.
It’s now estimated there are about 1,000 Go X e-scooters spread throughout San Francisco. The majority of these e-scooters were placed in touristy areas like Fisherman’s Wharf and the Embarcadero.
The only four e-scooter companies allowed to operate in San Francisco include Jump, Lime, Spin, and Scoot. In total, there are 3,250 e-scooters in the Bay Area city.
For detailed information on San Francisco’s e-scooter program, please visit this official webpage put together by the SFMTA.