Advertisement 1

Calgary's summer e-scooter comeback starts Friday

Bird Canada and Neuron Mobility have been chosen to operate e-scooters for the long-term in Calgary

Article content

Shared e-scooters will be back in Calgary in time for the weekend.

Coun. Evan Woolley said in a statement Thursday that Bird Canada and Neuron Mobility have been chosen as the two long-term operators of e-scooters in Calgary, and they’re planning to hit the streets Friday.

The city wrapped a 16-month pilot project last year, and council later gave the green light for the scooters to return for good, with two companies each providing 750 scooters.

Recommended from Editorial
  1. E-scooter riders wear masks as they cruise along Stephen Avenue in Calgary on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
    E-scooters on the road back to Calgary, but with new rules
  2. Calgarians ride e-scooters in Eau Claire on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. The City of Calgary is asking for online input as the shared e-scooter pilot program comes to an end.
    E-scooters allowed to return to Calgary for good
Article content

“As businesses begin to open up and Calgarians continue to look for ways to safely enjoy the outdoors, e-scooters will be a big part of that,” Woolley said.

Lime scooters were a mainstay during the pilot — they were the first to join the “micromobility” project, putting rentable e-bikes on the street starting in 2018 and adding e-scooters in 2019. But after the city’s competitive bid process to select permanent operators, Lime won’t be back.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Lime’s green scooters will be replaced by bright orange rentals from Neuron Mobility. The company was founded in Singapore, and currently operates in South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

Woolley said during a committee meeting Thursday that Calgary will be Neuron Mobility’s first foray into North America.

Bird Canada was also part of Calgary’s pilot project, which also included Canadian company Roll starting in 2020.

Capping scooters at 1,500 in Calgary is intended to help cut down on clutter and improperly parked scooters blocking sidewalks and pathways. Scooter companies will also be handing out $10 fines through the rental apps for bad parking jobs after you ride.

Scooters are allowed on sidewalks, pathways and bike lanes, and beginning this year, can also be operated on some roads that have lower speeds and traffic volumes.

masmith@postmedia.com

Twitter: @meksmith

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    This Week in Flyers