Electric scooters parked safely in designated areas of St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg is set to enhance urban mobility with the introduction of 900 new electric scooters, following a successful pilot program. Zero incidents have been reported this year, highlighting the city’s commitment to safety. The scooter-sharing initiative will be managed by Lime and Spin, focusing on safety features, regulations, and infrastructure improvements. The program has gained immense popularity with collectors reinvesting revenues into upgrades, ensuring safety for both users and pedestrians.
St. Petersburg is preparing to introduce 900 new electric scooters as part of its initiative to enhance mobility across the city. This expansion follows a successful pilot program initiated in 2020, which has generated approximately $1 million in right-of-way usage fees. The announcement comes amidst reports of zero incidents involving shared scooters within the current year, highlighting an emphasis on safety and responsible use.
The updated scooter-sharing initiative will be overseen by the companies Lime and Spin, who have been selected following a request for proposals. A recent committee meeting on May 8, 2023, provided a progress report to city council members on these developments. Councilmember Gina Driscoll pointed out technological advancements aimed at elevating safety standards and enforcing regulations for a safer riding experience.
St. Petersburg has established specific regulations surrounding scooter use, unlike many other urban areas. Riding on sidewalks is prohibited, and users must park their e-scooters in designated corrals to ensure pedestrian safety. The initial service providers, Veo and Razor, have transitioned, with Veo remaining the sole operator after Razor ceased operations in 2023. The program has been remarkably popular, with nearly 1.25 million scooter trips taken by residents and visitors since its inception, demonstrating a growing preference for this form of transportation.
Usage data indicates that May is typically the busiest month, with an average of 28,500 rides, particularly spiking during weekends. Notably, a record 4,053 rides were registered on June 24, 2023, coinciding with the St. Pete Pride festivities. Since the program’s launch, there have been 19 reported incidents involving scooters, with nine occurring in 2021. A fatal accident in 2023, linked to a user carrying a passenger on a sidewalk, prompted rigorous enforcement efforts from the St. Petersburg Police Department. These measures have led to a considerable reduction in violations, although issues with privately owned faster scooters continue to be a challenge. Shared scooter violations, however, are reportedly “pretty much nonexistent.”
Evan Mory, the city’s director of transportation and parking management, indicated that the success of the scooter program has garnered invitations for the city to share its best practices with other municipalities. Revenues from the scooter initiative are being reinvested into infrastructure improvements designed to enhance safety and accessibility, benefiting both scooter users and pedestrians.
The new operators, Lime and Spin, will equip their scooters with GPS technology and adhere to a stipulated annual right-of-way fee of $250 per scooter. The e-scooters will feature speed limits set at 15 mph and utilize geofencing technology to monitor compliance with designated corral parking. Both companies are committed to implementing safety education and outreach initiatives to inform users about safe riding practices.
Lime, which previously managed St. Petersburg’s electric bicycle share program, has also committed to a camera-based sidewalk detection system on 20% of its fleet and will provide in-app alerts to warn users of prohibited riding areas. Spin will deploy a local 22-person team that prioritizes hiring from the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area. Their scooters will come equipped with various safety features, including baskets, dual braking systems, kickstands, turn signals, speedometers, and technology to identify unsafe riding behaviors.
Both Lime and Spin will charge an unlocking fee of $1 with per-mile rates of $0.39 and $0.42 respectively and will offer discounts for low-income riders. Spin intends to introduce a vehicle distance-based pricing model to further incentivize safe riding habits. The planned rollout of the revamped scooter service under the new operators is set to begin in mid-June, with the city also working to create 18 new corrals to accommodate an additional 200 scooters.
Average scooter trips measure about 1.1 miles, typically along primary routes including Central Avenue, Bayshore Drive, Beach Drive, and the Pinellas Trail. Future expansions are in the works to extend services further west and north within the city, with the Forward Pinellas organization funding a comprehensive micromobility study to assess potential service areas in the Skyway Marina District and Carrillon area.
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