Leap Transit
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
Leap Transit was a private transit provider in San Francisco offering a luxury pay-per-ride bus service for commuters between the Marina and the Financial District, with amenities like WiFi, gourmet coffee and spacious seating. Backed by about $2.5 million from Andreessen Horowitz, Index Ventures, Slow Ventures and Marc Benioff, it ran a beta with a single chartered bus in 2013 and launched full operations with four refurbished buses in March 2015.
02 / Leap Transit FAILURE REASONS
Failure reasons
The company launched before securing its operating license. The California Public Utilities Commission issued a cease-and-desist notice, finding Leap operated without the required permission and had not provided proof of insurance, workers' compensation, or compliance with driver testing and background-check rules. It had also drawn criticism for removing handicap-accessible features from its buses. Shut out of legal operation, the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy two months later.
03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Beta launch
Began operations in May 2013 with a single chartered 36-passenger bus between San Francisco's Marina and financial districts; the company later called it a beta test.
- Full launch
Launched full operations in March 2015 with four refurbished buses running morning and afternoon commuter service.
- Shut down by regulators
On May 20, 2015 the California Public Utilities Commission issued a cease-and-desist notice for operating without permission and lacking proof of insurance and compliance; Leap halted operations.
- Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 15, 2015; two of its buses were listed for public auction in October.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN
How the factors connect
- 01
Halted operations on May 20, 2015 after the CPUC cease-and-desist order.
- 02
Filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 15, 2015.
- 03
Buses were listed for public auction in October 2015.
- 04
No public loss or restructuring figures were disclosed.