Press Release
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The Gotcha Group, a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) company focused on sustainable micro-transit solutions, today announced continued growth of its bike share and ride share programs in key markets as well as the addition of four industry veterans to its leadership team.
Bike share systems in the U.S. have continued their brisk growth, with 35 million trips taken in 2017 alone[1]. And when it comes to ride share, some have said that 2017 was the “year the ride share industry crushed the taxi.”[2] Both of these align with a larger trend the country is currently experiencing with the sharing economy, which is estimated to grow to $335 billion by 2025.3
“We're in the middle of a revolution here in the U.S. when it comes to the sharing economy – specifically when it comes to smart transportation solutions, integrated infrastructure, and sustainable planning by cities and colleges,” said Sean Flood, CEO, The Gotcha Group. “The biggest challenge is that several cities and communities are having a negative backlash to this type of transportation because some companies are putting poor quality bikes and scooters into their communities without a plan. Our mission is to make sure mobility solutions are well planned, work for everyone, and are implemented only when true partnerships with all stakeholders are established. We are addressing this by helping our clients identify their unique problems and delivering customized solutions, which ultimately help them solve long-term transportation challenges.”
New Programs & Expansions: U.S. Cities and Colleges
The Gotcha Group currently has approximately 30+ mobility systems deployed in 16 states. Its innovative programs include bike share and ride share systems for numerous prominent college and city partners, including the University of Oklahoma, Auburn University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and the company's hometown of Charleston, SC. Recent additions include:
- The launch of the Greenride bike share system in Burlington, VT in partnership with the Chittenden Area Transportation Management Association (CATMA), Ben & Jerry's, and Seventh Generation.
- The launch of Washington State University's Coug Bikes bike share system.
- The expansion of the University of Oklahoma's Crimson Cruisers bike share system.
- The expansion of Auburn University's War Eagle bike share system – The Gotcha Group also operates an integrated ride share system on this campus.
The company will also launch the “ROAM” bike share system incorporating the cities of Christiansburg, VA, Blacksburg, VA, and Virginia Tech University later this month.
“Our partnership with The Gotcha Group has allowed us to create new touch points with our entire population, which includes faculty, staff, and students,” said Don Andrae, Manager, Parking Services, Auburn University. “This partnership has provided a healthy, cost-effective alternative transportation solution for everyone involved and we've gone a long way in strengthening our relationship with the University community.”
New Talent and Industry Veterans Join Gotcha's Leadership Team
To help support the company's rapid growth and development, The Gotcha Group has hired several key senior leaders with deep industry and operational expertise. Andy Boenau, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), joins as the Director of Mobility and Strategy, while Adrienne Harrington has taken on the role of Director of University and Government Affairs. Additionally, Brett C. Vigrass, Esq. has joined the company as General Counsel and Melissa Duddy was named Human Resources Manager.
Flood went on to say that, “We hire the best and brightest talent so I couldn't be more excited to have Brett, Melissa, Andy, and Adrienne join the Gotcha family. Their collective years of experience and professional expertise will help us continue to grow our mobility platforms and further reinforce our leadership position in the industry.”
ABOUT THE GOTCHA GROUP
The Gotcha Group is a mobility and media company that bridges the gap between sustainable transportation, brand sponsors, and local communities through customized, end-to-end micro-transit solutions, and experiential marketing campaigns. Gotcha's proprietary platforms include the nation's largest out-of-home (OOH) college media network, IoT-enabled bike share systems, 100%-electric ride share vehicles, and customized experiential and sampling campaigns. The Gotcha Group is headquartered in Charleston, SC with a satellite office in Los Angeles.Gotcha Mobility, a division of The Gotcha Group, creates completely customized micro-transit solutions for colleges and cities and currently operates 26 bike share systems in the U.S. Gotcha's bikes are IoT-enabled, which provides partners with valuable insights into ridership and usage patterns as well as the amount of calories burned and the total CO2 offset. For more information, visit www.thegotchagroup.com.
