After No Bites On Bikes, Phoenix Tries Electric Scooters

Published: Thursday, January 24, 2019 - 4:40pm
Updated: Friday, January 25, 2019 - 8:23am

Six months after approving a pilot program for dockless bikes, Phoenix has seen zero interest from companies wanting to participate. Now, the city is moving on to electric scooters.

City employees are working on a pilot program that would allow hundreds of electric scooters to deploy downtown but be able to move around anywhere.

During a recent transportation subcommittee meeting, Assistant Director Briiana Velez said vendors would be responsible for educating riders about scooter rules, “such as no right of sidewalks, but ride on the street and bike lanes. We would also request that vendors encourage users to ride on lower volume and lower speed streets, especially if bike lanes are not available.”

Velez said staff is also recommending riders be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license and the maximum operating speed be 15 miles per hour.

Companies would pay a $5,000 permit fee for six months, which the transportation department said would cover the administrative costs of the program. There would also be a $500 application fee, 10 cents per ride surcharge fee and $80 relocation fee for bikes that companies do not collect and store in designated areas.

The pilot program would limit scooters to being deployed between 7th Street and 7th Avenue from Buckeye to McDowell Roads. However, riders could take them anywhere. Companies will be responsible for collecting scooters each night.

City staff is working with vendors on how to collect data and evaluate the program. The full council is expected to vote on the proposal in late March.

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