City of Montreal says Jump bike users can't just park anywhere they want

Uber's Jump e-bike service launched in Montreal last week, and the city says already users aren't respecting bylaws about where the dockless bikes can be parked.

Eric Alan Caldwell, the city's executive committee member in charge of urban planning and transit, said Friday that operators have to ensure the bikes are where they are supposed to be.

"We don't want any bikes parked where they are not meant to be parked. I'm appealing to Jump to do a better job that way," he said.

Montreal's updated bylaw says bikes and e-scooters can only be parked on bike racks or in areas designated by the city.

Caldwell says ultimately, it's up to the company to move bikes that are not properly parked or obstruct the road.

"We're avoiding a catastrophe scenario like in other cities, but still, our bylaw is not respected at the level we expect," said Caldwell.

A spokesperson for Uber told CBC News it's working closely with the city to comply with the new regulations.

"We would like to remind all users that it is extremely important to lock bikes to a suitable public rack, without impeding the passage. Users who do not comply with bicycle parking rules will receive a warning," the company said in a statement.

If further offences occur, users can face a penalty fee of $25 and risk having their account suspended.

As of Friday, Montreal users have taken more than 10,000 trips since the service was launched on June 26, the company said.

Users are required to wear a helmet while using a Jump bike, since the electric-assisted bikes can travel at speeds up to 32 km/h.