Micromobility

Pay-by-the-minute electric and hybrid car-share operations are becoming a regular part of the transportation mix in large cities as they seek to expand mobility options and reduce the need for car ownership.

Electric scooters will remain an option for residents of Tuscon, Ariz., after the success of a pilot program. As part of this decision, the city will test out new technology that can detect whether a scooter is on a sidewalk.

A traffic signal upgrade project in San Diego will involve 26 intersections around the University of California, San Diego. The project will use adaptive software to improve mobility throughout the region.

Officials are using funding from the state's Clean Mobility Options Voucher pilot program to launch electric bikeshare hubs around the city. The bikes are a preferred means of travel among residents.

A proposal by on-demand scooter company Bird faced hesitation from city leaders. Some voiced safety concerns about the vehicles being used on the stretch of U.S. Highway 30 that runs through the city.

Researchers from the University of Texas at San Antonio want to evaluate whether electric scooters can effectively collect data on everything from weather to traffic. The tech needed for the research is in development.

Earlier this week, city council members in Waterloo, Iowa, changed a number of local ordinances so that residents can start renting e-scooters from California-based company Bird. The scooters will arrive next week.

City leaders in Davenport, Iowa, have voiced concerns about the introduction of Bird electric scooters to the downtown area. One concern is that the devices could pose a danger in bike lanes.

If passed, the new ordinance would regulate electric bicycles and motor-assisted scooters that are rented for a fee, and not affect use of personal e-bikes or scooters or other vehicles like golf carts, mopeds or motorcycles.

The city of Boulder established new regulations for micomobility devices, outlining where they are allowed to be located and where they can legally go. In January 2020, officials considered banning some services from the city.

Once an overlooked part of the urban landscape, the curb is now considered hot real estate in many cities. The demands of delivery services, ridesharing and micromobility have cities re-examining how they manage their assets.

Scooter companies like Lime and Bird are introducing new products to the micromobility landscape in a number of cities. Meanwhile, New York City is introducing its first scooter pilot project.

One California community is taking another look at where electric bikes are allowed. The devices have surged in popularity and fly in the face of signs warning “no motor vehicles or motorized bicycles.”

A federal district court in southern California has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s collection of real-time trip data from shared mobility providers.

Spin is introducing remote-operated scooters in Boise, Idaho, an indication of the kinds of tech upgrades the devices are acquiring as they re-emerge in cities following the COVID-19-induced slowdown.

Spin says the debut of its S-200 model in Boise will mark the first three-wheel electric scooter in the United States, and eventually, customers will be able to use a phone app to order a scooter to their location.

A report finds that micromobility grew quickly from 2018 to 2019, though it remains concentrated in relatively few cities. Local governments have also found ways to curb problems such as improper parking and inequity.

Planners with Yellowstone County and the city of Billings commissioned a feasibility study earlier this year to investigate whether a scooter-share or bike-share program would work here.