The Blue Bikes are getting a bit of a boost

NEW ORLEANS — Blue Bikes are getting a small face lift in New Orleans.

On Thursday, officials introduced "Jump" the new e-bike. They look similar to the original Blue Bikes, but there are some changes you should be aware of.

Blue Bikes are everywhere in New Orleans, giving locals like, Philippe Paul, an easier way to travel.

"Yes, that's my mode of transportation to go around town," he said. "I don't own a car so Blue Bikes have been pretty great for me."

In two years, people in New Orleans have taken the Blue Bikes on 660,000 trips, pedaling more than a million miles. However, now it's out with the old and in with the new. A new e-bike launched Thursday, giving riders a boost.

"So the new Blue Bikes are electric pedal assist," Dan Favre with Bike Easy said. "So you get a little boost when you pedal the bike. So you still have to pedal, you still have to move, there's no throttle. It feels like a conventional bike, but there's a little extra oomph."

"What I'm really excited about with the pedal assist is it's really going to help neighborhoods that are further away from the urban core," said councilmember Kristin Palmer. "Further away from jobs, further away from schools and especially neighborhoods in New Orleans and Algiers."

The 700 bikes the city started with will now jump to 1400, adding more docking stations around town including near college campuses.

"This is about expanding options, transportation options for our residents and our visitors," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "So Dillard, Loyola, Tulane, Xavier; Delgado already has it, but we're expanding to other universities mentioned. By 2021 we should be in a better place to expand to UNO and SUNO."

"It's good for people to be riding in New Orleans," Favre said. "And it's good for those who don't ride bikes as well, we'll see less traffic, less demand for parking downtown, things moving more easily."

However, are there concerns? Lets back pedal to September.

"Like allowing people to go up to 20 miles an hour without a helmet on or anything like that?" said one cyclist. "And not knowing the rules of the road, like not being in bike lanes."

Regular bike riders told us they had real reservations about these speedy bikes. Moving forward though, people are open to the change.

"I think it's a good start," said Paul. "And I think it shouldn't just be electric, it should be both and yes, expand it to areas that need it."

And while riders, like Paul, get used to the upgrades, they do say it's too soon to tell if switching gears is worth it. However, they look forward to trying it out, taking it for a spin.

If you've ridden a Blue Bike before or even if you haven't yet, here are some things you should know ahead of time:

The SoBi app you've been using is being discontinued, so you'll need to download and create an account on the Uber and/or JUMP app. If you don't have a cell phone, you can also create your account at www.jump.com

For a Reduced Fare Pass, you'll need to re-submit your qualifying documents and re-sign up by going to www.jump.com/support and contacting them through the form there. Make sure to read the automatic email response you receive after doing that - you may have to confirm you sent the message before they respond

For people with Blue Bikes credit, including those who received free Reduced Fare Passes as part of our Blue Bikes For All efforts, you'll be receiving information directly from Blue Bikes about how to transfer those credits to your new account

For a Monthly Pass, now $30 per month for 60 minutes of riding per day ($.25 per minute after that), you'll need to reach out to www.jump.com/support to get re-signed up. Again, make sure to check your email after you send in your request.