‘Amazon of Transportation’: Uber’s Secret Talks to Buy Bird or Lime

Reports say Uber is interested in purchasing either Bird or Lime. Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

Ride-hailing giant looks to acquire Bird or Lime before going public.

By Sam Catanzaro

A little over a year after Bird launched their first e-scooters in Santa Monica a multi-billion dollar transportation behemoth is courting the company: Uber.

As reported initially by The Information, and later by the Financial Times and Mashable, Uber is pursuing a deal to buy either Bird or Lime. These speculations come less than a month before Uber is set to go public in early 2019 and some estimates have evaluated the company’s worth at $120 billion. 

The Palisades News has reached out to Bird, Lime and Uber seeking confirmation about a potential deal, at the time of publishing, only Uber responded, declining to comment.

This news comes a week after Uber’s ride-hailing rival Lyft acquired electronic-assist bike company Motivate and signals a competitive escalation between transportation companies looking to capture the greatest share of riders. Speaking at a tech conference this summer, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he hopes to make his ride-sharing service the Amazon of transportation.

“Let’s create a cheaper form of transportation from A to B, and for you to come to Uber, and Uber not just being about cars, and Uber not being about what the best solution for us is, but really being about the best solution,” Khosrowshahi said. “Just like Amazon sells third-party goods, we are going to also offer third-party transportation services. So we wanna kinda be the Amazon for transportation.”

Uber already has quite the presence within the Palisades transportation scene. In addition to their ride-hailing services, they also have Jump e-scooters and red Jump bikes.

On top of this, Uber also owns a minority stake in Lime, but the move to acquire a scooter company comes as the e-transit marketplace has heated up.

In November, Ford acquired e-scooter company Spin for around $100 million. Lime recently launched shareable cars, Lime Pods, in Seattle in addition to announcing plans to build brick and mortar stores in cities throughout the United States. Earlier this week, Bird launched Bird Platform, a service that allows independent operators to purchase custom branded scooters from Bird and rent them out to riders. (See page 9).

While buying either Bird or Lime would give Uber an edge on their competition, it won’t come cheap. Despite their status as young companies, Bird and Lime would both come with a price tag.

This summer, Bird was valued at $2 billion while Lime touts a valuation of $1.1 billion. In addition, combined Bird and Lime have raised over $1 billion in venture capital in a year, making them two of the quickest companies ever to amassed such funds.

It remains unclear if Uber will be successful in pursuing a deal to purchase Bird or Lime. Both companies, as indicated by their expansion beyond scooters, have shown that they have their eyes set on being leading companies in the future of transportation, not a subsidiary of one. Regardless of the outcome of talks with Uber, Bird and Lime have come a long way since the first rider stepped on a Bird in Santa Monica a year ago.

in News
Related Posts

“Caterpillar Soup” Returns to Santa Monica Playhouse for 20th Anniversary Performances

November 8, 2024

November 8, 2024

Written and Performed by Lyena Strelkoff, the Autobiographical Production Explores Her Journey After a Paralyzing Fall The critically acclaimed one-woman...

Chinese Chemical Company and Executives Indicted for Allegedly Fueling Fentanyl Crisis in Los Angeles

November 8, 2024

November 8, 2024

U.S. DOJ Charges Hubei Aoks Bio-Tech and Executives With 13 Counts  A federal grand jury has indicted Hubei Aoks Bio-Tech...

Renewable Energy Group to Host Scenic Hike in Palisades

November 7, 2024

November 7, 2024

The Route Is Based on a Walk Described as “The Most Scenic of All the City’s Stairwalks.” WRISE Los Angeles,...

Megacity Review: Genaro Trejo’s Global Platform for Urban Arts and Literature Launches in Los Angeles’ Westside

November 7, 2024

November 7, 2024

Santa Monica, CA – A new voice has arrived on the Los Angeles literary scene with the launch of Megacity...

Malibu Brush Fire Damages Homes, Burns 50 Acres: Report

November 7, 2024

November 7, 2024

The Fire Broke Out Under Critical Fire Weather, With a Red Flag Warning Issued for the Area Due to Powerful...

Thanksgiving 2024: The Best Places to Order Your Holiday Pies in Los Angeles

November 7, 2024

November 7, 2024

Get Ready for Your Thanksgiving Dinner With the Best Desserts November is the official start of the holiday season and...

The Whaler Celebrates 80 Years as Venice Landmark

November 7, 2024

November 7, 2024

Throughout November, the Whaler Will Feature Drink and Food Specials, Live Music, and Weekend Events The Whaler, a Venice Beach...

(Video) Palisades Voters Speak on Their Choices at the Ballot Box

November 6, 2024

November 6, 2024

Local Voters Made Their Voices Heard on Tuesday https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8LLEYkp/

Topanga Canyon Blvd Closed to Non-Residents Due to High Fire Danger

November 6, 2024

November 6, 2024

Closures Run From Mulholland Drive to Pacific Coast Highway Topanga Canyon Boulevard will be closed to non-residents from Mulholland Drive...

Former Marina del Rey Firefighter Alleges Discrimination in Lawsuit Against County: Report

November 6, 2024

November 6, 2024

The Plaintiff is Reportedly Seeking Over $25K in Damages A former firefighter who served in Marina del Rey is suing...

Big Blue Bus Gets $53M for Electrification, Service Improvement

November 5, 2024

November 5, 2024

Grant to fund zero-emission fleet conversion, expanded transit service, and workforce training initiatives The California State Transportation Agency announced Wednesday...

Historic Venice Post Office Building to Become a New Hub for Creatives

November 5, 2024

November 5, 2024

“The Lighthouse” will offer workspace, production facilities, career development, and artist studios in Venice’s iconic Windward Circle By Zach Armstrong...

DuPont Clinic Issues a Statement After City of Beverly Hills is Held Accountable By CA Attorney General Bonta

November 5, 2024

November 5, 2024

AG Rob Bonta Intervenes in Unprecedented Case, Defending Abortion Access Attorney General Rob Bonta launched an investigation after reports that...

The Willows: 30 Years Going Strong

November 5, 2024

November 5, 2024

Founded in 1994, The Willows Community School, located in Culver City, California, is a Developmental Kindergarten through 8th grade non-profit, co-educational...

Palisades Art Association to Host Juried Art Show

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Artists Are Welcome to Submit up to Three Artworks The Pacific Palisades Art Association will hold its annual Juried Art...

Comments
Leave a Reply