TEXAS — A California transplant family is using their electric scooter business to show Texans that not everything from California is bad.
Texans have long been critical of the large number of people moving to the state, especially people from the West Coast.
Their presence sparked a statewide movement to stop Texas from becoming the Golden State; a narrative that has created friction between Texans and California transfers living here.
Troy Fulks believed, when he moved his family to Austin from San Diego, that even the toughest of Texans couldn’t resist hitting the streets on his e-bikes. And so far, he’s been right.
“They’re having the time of their lives,” Fulks says. “Everyone tells us ‘I’ve never had so much fun! I’ve never seen the city like this!’”
At Just Electric Transportation (JET), Fulks takes Texans on an eco-cruise through the streets of Austin. It was an idea that came to the career entrepreneur during a trip to Europe when he and his family saw similar bikes and scooters being used on tours.
“They looked like the coolest things ever,” Fulks says. “We rode them and after a few minutes I fell in love with them.”
Fulks and his family have lived in Austin for 16 years now, but it didn’t take them long to embrace the southern hospitality that makes the state great.
Providing entertainment through Jet Electric as well as services through other businesses he owns in the city helped the family become certified Texans.
“I have no desire to go back to the West Coast,” Fulks said. “Not even for their good taco rolls.”