Get ready for a lot more electric scooters on Columbus streets this summer.

Same goes for electric bicycles.

The total of what the city calls "shared mobility devices" figures to more than double this year with two major transportation companies, ride-hailing company Uber and Ford Motor, jumping into the market, joining the companies that already operate here.

Uber's company Jump, based in Brooklyn, is planning 250 e-bikes and 250 scooters, according to records obtained by The Dispatch from the city. Meanwhile, San Francisco-based Spin, bought by Ford last year for $100 million, is planning 500 scooters for the city.

Columbus-based Roam Bikes says it will deploy up to 200 bikes as soon as next month with a goal of eventually having 500 of the bikes with the fat lime-green tires in the city.

Lime and Bird, which began operations last year in Columbus, say they will each have up to 500 scooters.

So far, both have been operating fewer scooters than that. On April 10, Bird had 275 scooters out on city streets while Lime had 371, according to city records.

"It will be interesting to see how it all plays out," said Michael Liggett, community relations coordinator for the city's Department of Public Service.

What will be interesting is to watch how the companies deploy the vehicles and their strategy for using them, he said.

"Each company is kind of feeling out the market," Liggett said.

City rules allow as many as seven companies to operate up to 500 devices apiece.

"Overall, we're excited to see a strong interest in a multitude of companies," Liggett said.

With the expansion comes the goal that more neighborhoods in the city will get access to the devices, he said.

"That would be our hope that it will expand mobility options in some places that don't have too many options," he said.

Until now, scooters have mostly operated in a handful of neighborhoods, including Downtown, the Short North, campus and Franklinton.

Jump and Spin did not respond to queries Friday about their deployment plans.

Ford bought Spin last year, one of a number of investments the automaker has made in alternative transportation.

Roam plans to initially have 200 bikes on city streets in May, said Kelly James, the company's founder and president. More will be added throughout the year.

In a way Roam is not new to the market of electric bikes in Columbus.

The company was formerly known as Electric Ave. that had bikes on streets last year. The company has since been acquired and renamed and the old bikes were removed.

"We want to be the gold standard in bike share," James said.

James said the company wants to expand into the suburbs and other cities, including Cleveland and Cincinnati.

In addition to public ridership, Roam is setting up partnerships with businesses to allow their workers to use the bikes, James said.

While most of the devices that will be in the city will be scooters, James said he believes bikes are a better option for riders who may struggle with a scooter for one reason or another.

"Our research shows everyone can typically ride a bicycle," he said.

mawilliams@dispatch.com

@BizMarkWilliams