The City of Edmonton is in contract negotiations with e-scooter and e-bike companies in an attempt to solve problems over the past few years. As Breanna Karstens-Smith reports, that means a delay in them being deployed this spring. – May 2, 2024Scooters and e-bikes will be available as of Wednesday, May 29, the city said. This is the sixth year for the micromobility vehicles in Edmonton.
In the past, the city limited the maximum number of scooters and bikes the companies could deploy, but the city said that resulted in all of them being concentrated in the city’s core instead of spread out. Lime said more people jumped on using scooters and e-bikes in 2023 as well. Those rides were taken by 190,000 people, which it said is an 84 per cent increase from the number of riders in 2022.
“We are proud and grateful to be chosen as a long-term partner in Edmonton’s transportation system and we vow to the city and to our riders to continue investing in the best possible service,” said Sonia Kandola, director of government relations at Lime.“Our global success will be felt here in Edmonton in our newest generation hardware continuing to offer a safe, fun, and affordable way to get around, while our local expertise will ensure safe riding and proper parking remain paramount.
The city said it wants to see vendors expand even more. As of Tuesday, both Bird and Lime’s operating areas on their apps appeared to be the same as in 2023.