Shared electric scooters surge, overtaking docked bikes
Shared
electric scooters surge, overtaking docked bikes
NEW YORK (AP) — Electric scooters are overtaking
station-based bicycles as the most popular form of shared transportation
outside transit and cars in the U.S.
Riders took 38.5 million trips on shared
electric scooters in 2018, eclipsing the 36.5 million trips on shared, docked
bicycles, according to a report released Wednesday by the National Association
of City Transportation Officials.
This as scooter companies face challenges from
every direction, including vandalism, theft, rider injuries, intense
competition and aggressive regulations in cities across the country.
Yet the scooter industry persists, and venture
capitalists, ride-hailing companies and traditional auto manufacturers continue
to pour millions into the fledgling companies.
Companies are jockeying for strategic position in the so-called micromobility
revolution, where consumers are embracing shared scooters and bikes for short
trips and exploring alternatives to car ownership buoyed by the ubiquity of
smartphones.
Riders took 84 million trips on micromobility
services such as shared scooters and bikes in 2018, more than double the number
from the year before.
Scooter and bike riders typically use an app to
find one nearby and pay a few dollars to ride for a set period of time, paying
within the smartphone app using a credit card. Some shared mobility services,
such as Lyft-owned Citi Bike in New York City, offer monthly or annual
memberships for riders.
There were more than 85,000 electric scooters
available for public use in the U.S. in 2018 compared with 57,000 station-based
bikes.
Shared bikes are considered “station-based” or
“docked” if a rider takes out the bike and returns it to one of many docking
stations — basically parking lots for bikes — which are spread throughout a
city. Dockless bikes, which represent a smaller portion of shared bikes, can be
left anywhere, and can be found and unlocked through a smartphone app.
Shared docked bike usage among monthly pass
holders peaks during rush hours, suggesting use by commuters, but shared
scooter usage does not, indicating scooters may be more likely to be used for
recreational use, according to the report.
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