MINNEAPOLIS - Bird and Lime will remove electric scooters from the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul on Friday evening as pilot programs expire in both cities, but the scooters seem likely to return in 2019 if the cities and companies can agree to a permanent framework.
Josh Johnson, the mobility manager who oversees scooter policy for Minneapolis Public Works, called the four-month pilot program a success.
He said the department will now review usage data and complete a full review of the pilot before presenting findings to the city council, which could then draft an ordinance to allow scooters to remain in the city for good.
"We're getting a deep analysis started on what the pilot was and what it meant," Johnson said. "It's definitely a meaningful transportation choice for people. They're using it for commutes, for work, for getting to and from lunch, meetings, things like that."
The scooter wave has swept cities across the United States lately, sometimes with mixed results. A class action lawsuit filed in California this fall accuses Bird and Lime of causing injuries to riders and pedestrians, and in September, the Washington Post reported ER doctors in at least seven cities saw a spike in scooter-related accidents.
However, in Minneapolis, Johnson said no serious injuries have been reported during the pilot (he did acknowledge a few minor accidents involving scooters, including one rider that collided with a vehicle during a turn). No major incidents have been reported in St. Paul, either.
A spokesperson for St. Paul's Public Works Department said the pilot program has gone smoothly since August. A "working group" is currently reviewing data from St. Paul and, like Minneapolis, the committee will collaborate with the city council to hopefully pass a mobility ordinance in 2019.
Representatives for Bird and Lime both indicated they are eager to return to the Twin Cities on a permanent basis in 2019, possibly as early as the spring.
"Since Bird first landed in the Twin Cities, we have been thrilled to see people embrace our transportation solution as a way to get around without having to get in a car. Bird's mission is to help cities get cars off the road to reduce traffic and carbon emissions," a Bird spokesperson said. "We look forward to continuing to build close partnerships with local leaders and officials in the area as the cities' pilot programs come to a close and as we work together to create a more permanent framework for 2019."
Meanwhile, Lime sent KARE 11 the following statement regarding both scooters and bikes:
"This initial pilot clearly demonstrated that the Twin Cities is a community where our scooters and bikes are filling a critical need, connecting riders to public transportation and decreasing their reliance on personal vehicles," said Eric Kocaja, Lime's general manager in the Twin Cities. "We're eager to work with city leaders in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as Golden Valley, Edina and the University of Minnesota so we can return in the spring."