City Council adopts rules for OKC scooters
Scooters are here to stay.
The Oklahoma City Council on Tuesday adopted regulations for the popular “dockless” electric scooters introduced to downtown earlier this year by two California companies.
Sam Sadle, strategic development director for Lime, of San Mateo, acknowledged some discomfort with the ordinance’s details but said he thought the companies could work with city staff.
“We trust that we’ll be able to find a solution that works for everyone,” Sadle said.
The rules allow Lime, its competitor Bird, and others to have fleets of up to 250 scooters.
The companies may add up to 100 scooters at a time upon a showing that vehicles in their existing fleet are being rented a minimum of three times per day.
Riders can find a scooter for rent and activate it with a smartphone app.
The companies collect an activation fee plus a rate per mile to ride.
The business model is known as “dockless” because scooters are distributed throughout town — no racks or rental stand required — and may be left by riders pretty much anywhere.
Company “chargers” pick up scooters in the evening, charge the batteries overnight, then distribute them by 7 a.m. the next morning to restart the rental cycle.
Oklahoma City requires the companies to get an annual license for $302 and pay a $30 annual fee for each scooter in their fleet.
By comparison, Dallas’ application fee is $808 plus $21 per vehicle and a refundable security deposit.
The companies must respond quickly to complaints of scooters left on private property or in the right of way. If the city picks them up, the fee is $100 per hour for city staff time.
Monthly reports are required on usage, complaints, vandalism and accidents.
“As you all see our system in action,” Sadle said, “let us know how we can do a better job, what we need to be thinking about, and as we work and grow here in Oklahoma City, what your vision is for mobility across the city.”
Scooters have been billed as a “last-mile” option for transit users.
Under Oklahoma City’s regulations, rental scooters left near transit stops will not count against the fleet limits. Sadle said the synergies were apparent on the streetcar’s opening weekend.
“It’s very exciting to see over these last few days people combining dockless mobility with the streetcar to get around downtown,” he said.