In a bid to rapidly ramp up its scooter presence in San Francisco, Scoot is looking to hire nearly 100 employees — doubling the company’s workforce in its hometown.
On Thursday evening, the company is scheduled to hold a job fair at its San Francisco headquarters in SoMa to largely expand its fleet operations, with roles including mechanics, service technicians and drivers. Wages for the full-time gigs start at $20 per hour, according to Michael Keating, president and founder of Scoot. Those hired participate in a four-level job training program for vehicle battery swapping, diagnostics, repairs and mechanics.
“From day one, we have committed to hiring locally and providing opportunities for our employees to grow,” Keating wrote in an email. “We are proud to call San Francisco home, contribute to our community, and provide easy, fast, and affordable options for people to get where they need to go.”
The scooter outfit — which was founded back in 2012 and operates both electric standup scooters and mopeds in San Francisco, as well as a modest footprint in Barcelona and Santiago — has driven full speed into San Francisco’s red-hot standup scooter market. Last year, it snagged one of two coveted permits in San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s powered scooter share pilot program.
In June, Santa Monica-based scooter unicorn Bird acquired Scoot for an undisclosed sum, and already Scoot has begun harnessing the technology of its venture backed new owner. The company now operates the “Bird One” shared electric scooter in its own fleet, which has allowed Scoot to increase ride volume as well as the lifespan of its vehicles, Keating said.
As of late last month, Scoot was authorized to operate up to 625 standup scooters, while Skip — the other permitted scooter company — could have up to 800, according to an SFMTA blog post. Its permit, however, expires on Oct. 14, and the company has to reapply for an approximately yearlong new permit. The agency said that the transportation director will cap the quantity of authorized scooters at between 1,000 and 2,500 scooters per permittee, a significant uptick from the number of shared scooters now roaming San Francisco’s streets and sidewalks.
