Micromobility

This month, the Seattle Department of Transportation debuted a program to test out the electric bike-lane sweeper. At barely 5 feet wide the machine is designed to weave between bollards and curbs.

About 157 million trips were taken with micromobility devices in 2022, mirroring the level of ridership in 2019. The increase seems to indicate a full recovery from the steep pandemic downturn.

Michigan, in partnership with the National Park Service, has announced the National Park Michigan Mobility Challenge, which will offer companies a chance to test mobility charging and solutions at the popular parks.

River experts say people have thrown hundreds of the battery-powered scooters into Spokane's waters, and they all agree that's a problem that needs to be more directly addressed.

Philadelphia-based Jawnt is partnering with citywide bike-share operator POGOH to make it easier for employers to offer subsidized access to bike trips as part of their company benefits packages.

While the continuation of Pittsburgh's pilot program with battery-powered scooters has been frozen by a state budget impasse, it may restart soon with fines for the program operator for letting scooters lay around.

Audi will team up with Spoke Safety in Peachtree Corners, Ga., to further develop connected vehicle technologies to communicate information related to vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians.

More than 120 students within the Laguna Beach Unified School District participated in an electric bike safety program in exchange for a permit to park their bike on campus amid concerns about speeding and safety.

Following the recent launch of Yolo Urban-Rural Ride for Knights Landing and the Winters area, Yolo Transportation District is preparing a new on-demand, point-to-point bus service for Woodland.

Cash incentives to be used toward the purchase of an electric bike in Denver are helping to reduce annual car trips and improve regional mobility options. Those watching the space hope the momentum will build even further.

The Mobility Data Specification 2.0 includes data standards for other forms of urban mobility, beyond just bikes and scooters. The next generation of the specification can now be used to better manage taxis, TNCs and more.

The Move PGH pilot project in Pittsburgh has provided some 1 million scooter trips, with about a third of those replacing a trip by car. The pilot uses "equity zones" to make these trips more accessible to all residents.

There are expected to be as many as 850 electric scooters and bikes on Syracuse roads this summer — more than double the 400 or so in circulation last year. The fleet could grow to as many as 1,000 depending on demand.

The university has placed 250 electric rental scooters from Spin on campus as part of a two-year research project into practical, environmentally friendly alternatives to cars as personal transportation.

Local purchase incentives are increasingly available for e-bikes as their popularity spreads nationwide. Meanwhile, proposed federal legislation would open up assistance to would-be e-bike riders.

Technology officials in the two major cities shared how transportation-related data — from scooters to buses and trains — is helping to inform decisions and the broader transportation planning process.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit riders in designated GoLink zones can now access Uber, hail rides and pay for their fare within the GoPass app. This isn’t the agency’s first time partnering with the ridesharing company.

New incentives — like the ones offered in Denver — are promising to advance the adoption of e-bikes and are fueling calls for the devices to be seen as essential parts of the evolving transportation ecosystem.