Dockless, shared, electric kick-scooters started popping up on U.S. city streets without warning in 2017. These battery-powered devices are motorized versions of kick-scooters. They have a long, narrow platform where riders stand, two small in-line wheels at the front and back, and a vertical pole at the front with handlebars, a throttle, and brake controls. The "shared" versions of these devices are owned by for-profit companies offering the scooters for short-term rental, and "dockless" refers to company policy that riders may leave the device at any destination rather than requiring that the scooters be physically returned to a fixed set of docking stations.
Across the country, many of these companies launched without contracts, permits, or business licenses. In response, cities have developed new permitting and licensing structures to manage them and to ensure that public safety and welfare remain at the forefront of new mobility advances.
Local governments across the country have learned that dockless bike/scooter share provides a significant opportunity for:
- Complementing transit service overcoming first/last mile transit connections;
- Replacing short vehicle trips with a clean emissions transportation option;
- Using a low-stress technology to introduce a new audience of residents to active transportation options; and
- Encourage city leaders to invest in bicycle/scooter infrastructure to support growing demand for bicycle/scooter mobility.
Along with the vast potential of dockless bike/scooter share, local governments have identified key challenges, namely:
- Ensuring equitable access to shared mobility technologies across all neighborhoods;
- Encouraging appropriate rider behavior;
- Maintaining an orderly system and keeping pedestrian pathways clear; and
- A lack of connected bicycle/scooter infrastructure, forcing many users to ride on sidewalks.
Based on recent pilot programs, case studies, and surveys, three key practice areas emerged illuminating how cities are putting policy into action and setting themselves up for successful management of dockless shared mobility programs:
- Enforcement of vendor operation
- Caps in vehicle numbers and number of vendors
- Data sharing that is standardized and in real-time
Bike and scooter sharing have the potential to play an important role in bridging some of the gaps in existing transportation networks, as well as encouraging individuals to use multiple transportation modes.