Connecting University Circle
Brought to You by PNC

Share This

Close

« back to news list

Rentable scooters returning to Cleveland with a bit more speed and later hours for operation

Posted June 05, 2020 in Articles

Author: Robert Higgs

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Rentable electric scooters will soon return to Cleveland’s streets and will likely move a bit faster and be ridden a little later than last year.

Once the administration of Mayor Frank Jackson works up new permitting rules, four vendors are expected to relaunch with permission from City Council to raise their maximum scooter speeds from 12 to 15 mph.

The council also agreed this week to allow scooters to be ridden from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m. through Labor Day. Last year, riders were limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The change in operating hours is intended to take advantage of available daylight hours. The aim of increasing maximum speeds is to allow scooters to better flow with street traffic.

Council urged police to enforce rules prohibiting the scooters from being ridden on city sidewalks.

In an email Thursday, Jackson’s administration said the permitting process that is needed to restart the scooter programs will happen as soon as possible.

Four vendors – Bird, Lime, Spin and Wheels – are expected to resume operations the administration said in its email.

That scooters, and rentable electric bikes, are returning is important for more than just tourists, according to Councilman Kerry McCormack, whose Ward 3 includes the downtown, Ohio City and Tremont – all prime scooter territory.

For residents who can’t afford a car, or don’t want one, scooters have become a a key part of transportation McCormack said during a recent council meeting.

“Residents … have reached out to me and have said, ‘this has allowed me to commute to my job without using a vehicle’ or ‘this has allowed me to connect with the bus stop I have to get to,’” he said.

The electric scooters first hit the streets in Cleveland last August and quickly became popular. More than 200,000 rides and 2.5 million minutes of riding time were logged, according to data prepared by Cleveland’s Planning Commission.

Riders gain access to the scooters through an app on their smart phones. Once done, riders are supposed to leave the scooters parked on the sidewalk for the next rider.

The cost per minute varies between companies but is usually about 35 cents a minute. The cost is billed to a credit card attached to the smart phone app.

The return of the scooters was delayed when in March, when the city asked the companies to pull their vehicles from the streets while it settled on guidelines for safe operating during the coronavirus pandemic.

Several vendors already were enacting safety precautions – disinfecting their vehicles regularly, providing their workers with personal protection equipment and placing hand sanitizers on the vehicles.

Planning Director Freddy Collier told City Council this week that the scooter vendors would be operating under guidelines established by the federal government and the state on sanitizing and providing messages via apps to riders.

Original Article: https://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/2020/06/rentable-scooters-returning-to-cleveland-with-a-bit-more-speed-and-later-hours-for-operation.html

Join UCI and UCPD tomorrow evening for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in ...

Join UCI and UCPD tomorrow evening for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Join UCI and UCPD tomorrow evening for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Tuesday, December 5 2023 | 9:01am

Pedestrian friendly bumper stickers make great stocking stuffers! Request one for all the pedestrian friendly drivers on your list this...

Pedestrian friendly bumper stickers make great stocking stuffers! Request one for all the pedestrian friendly drivers on your list this year: universitycircle.org/project-yield-sticker

Pedestrian friendly bumper stickers make great stocking stuffers! Request one for all the pedestrian friendly drivers on your list this year: universitycircle.org/project-yield-sticker

Monday, December 4 2023 | 9:01am

Join UCI and UCPD for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle...

Join UCI and UCPD for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Join UCI and UCPD for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Wednesday, November 29 2023 | 9:00am

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! This is a reminder that University Circle shuttles will not be running on Thanksgiving Day. To find altern...

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! This is a reminder that University Circle shuttles will not be running on Thanksgiving Day. To find alternative modes of transportation, follow the link! ugointhecircle.com/plan-your-trip

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! This is a reminder that University Circle shuttles will not be running on Thanksgiving Day. To find alternative modes of transportation, follow the link! ugointhecircle.com/plan-your-trip

Tuesday, November 21 2023 | 10:01am

Are you traveling this week for the holiday? RTA's Red Line train provides a convenient connection between University Circle and the Cl...

Are you traveling this week for the holiday? RTA's Red Line train provides a convenient connection between University Circle and the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Depart from the Mayfield Road or Cedar Road Rapid Station to avoid the hassle (and cost!) of parking. Plan your trip in advanc...

Are you traveling this week for the holiday? RTA's Red Line train provides a convenient connection between University Circle and the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Depart from the Mayfield Road or Cedar Road Rapid Station to avoid the hassle (and cost!) of parking. Plan your trip in advance using the Transit app.

Monday, November 20 2023 | 9:00am

Respect the speed limit! As part of our traffic safety efforts, we partner with UCPD to install a radar speed sign at targeted location...

Respect the speed limit! As part of our traffic safety efforts, we partner with UCPD to install a radar speed sign at targeted locations in the Circle. The sign helps discourage speeding and allows us to collect valuable speed and traffic count data.

Respect the speed limit! As part of our traffic safety efforts, we partner with UCPD to install a radar speed sign at targeted locations in the Circle. The sign helps discourage speeding and allows us to collect valuable speed and traffic count data.

Thursday, November 16 2023 | 2:00pm

Join UCI and UCPD for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle...

Join UCI and UCPD for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Join UCI and UCPD for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Wednesday, November 15 2023 | 1:28pm

It’s that time of year again! ✔️Report streetlight outages and close calls ✔️Drive at or below the speed limit ✔️Yield t...

It’s that time of year again! ✔️Report streetlight outages and close calls ✔️Drive at or below the speed limit ✔️Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks Learn more about Project Yield: universitycircle.org/project-yield

It’s that time of year again! ✔️Report streetlight outages and close calls ✔️Drive at or below the speed limit ✔️Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks Learn more about Project Yield: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Monday, November 6 2023 | 12:00pm

Clocks move back one hour this Sunday, which means people traveling in the early evening hours will experience darker conditions than b...

Clocks move back one hour this Sunday, which means people traveling in the early evening hours will experience darker conditions than before. Dark conditions are linked to increased crash risk, especially for pedestrians. Next week, as part of our Project Yield initiative, we will begin installing...

Clocks move back one hour this Sunday, which means people traveling in the early evening hours will experience darker conditions than before. Dark conditions are linked to increased crash risk, especially for pedestrians. Next week, as part of our Project Yield initiative, we will begin installing speed limit awareness signs at targeted locations in University Circle to encourage safe and alert driving. You can learn more about Project Yield here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Friday, November 3 2023 | 4:29pm

Do you own an EV or are you considering purchasing one? Visit our page on Electric Vehicles to view all charging station locations avai...

Do you own an EV or are you considering purchasing one? Visit our page on Electric Vehicles to view all charging station locations available in and around University Circle: ugointhecircle.com/ev

Do you own an EV or are you considering purchasing one? Visit our page on Electric Vehicles to view all charging station locations available in and around University Circle: ugointhecircle.com/ev

Wednesday, November 1 2023 | 12:01pm

Happy Halloween! Starting out on public transit can be scary, but we've got you covered with our trip planner that can help you plan th...

Happy Halloween! Starting out on public transit can be scary, but we've got you covered with our trip planner that can help you plan the best route! Check it out at ugointhecircle.com/plan-your-trip

Happy Halloween! Starting out on public transit can be scary, but we've got you covered with our trip planner that can help you plan the best route! Check it out at ugointhecircle.com/plan-your-trip

Tuesday, October 31 2023 | 2:01pm

Join Slow Roll Cleveland for a social bicycle ride next Monday, October 23, starting at Wade Oval! The group meets at 6:00 p.m. and dep...

Join Slow Roll Cleveland for a social bicycle ride next Monday, October 23, starting at Wade Oval! The group meets at 6:00 p.m. and departs at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit slowrollcleveland.com.

Join Slow Roll Cleveland for a social bicycle ride next Monday, October 23, starting at Wade Oval! The group meets at 6:00 p.m. and departs at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit slowrollcleveland.com.

Friday, October 20 2023 | 10:01am

Be vigilant about using your headlights at night and in inclement weather. Approximately 77% of pedestrians are killed in dark conditio...

Be vigilant about using your headlights at night and in inclement weather. Approximately 77% of pedestrians are killed in dark conditions. #PedestrianSafety

Be vigilant about using your headlights at night and in inclement weather. Approximately 77% of pedestrians are killed in dark conditions. #PedestrianSafety

Friday, October 20 2023 | 8:00am

The correlation between speed and injury crashes is well documented in scientific traffic safety literature. Lower (and safer) speeds s...

The correlation between speed and injury crashes is well documented in scientific traffic safety literature. Lower (and safer) speeds save lives and reduce serious injuries. #PedestrianSafety

The correlation between speed and injury crashes is well documented in scientific traffic safety literature. Lower (and safer) speeds save lives and reduce serious injuries. #PedestrianSafety

Thursday, October 12 2023 | 2:00pm

Did you know October is National Pedestrian Safety Month? Do your part by driving safely and staying alert. #PedestrianSafety

Did you know October is National Pedestrian Safety Month? Do your part by driving safely and staying alert. #PedestrianSafety

Did you know October is National Pedestrian Safety Month? Do your part by driving safely and staying alert. #PedestrianSafety

Tuesday, October 3 2023 | 2:00pm

Did you know you can use GCRTA's Commuter Advantage program to save money on your transit pass?! Through eligible employers, regular tr...

Did you know you can use GCRTA's Commuter Advantage program to save money on your transit pass?! Through eligible employers, regular transit riders can purchase their monthly RTA pass pre-tax for an added discount on public transportation fares. Learn more here: riderta.com/programs/commuteradvantag...

Did you know you can use GCRTA's Commuter Advantage program to save money on your transit pass?! Through eligible employers, regular transit riders can purchase their monthly RTA pass pre-tax for an added discount on public transportation fares. Learn more here: riderta.com/programs/commuteradvantage

Friday, September 29 2023 | 10:01am

University Circle is conveniently served by six bus routes, the Euclid Avenue HealthLine (bus rapid transit), and the Red Line (heavy r...

University Circle is conveniently served by six bus routes, the Euclid Avenue HealthLine (bus rapid transit), and the Red Line (heavy rail). Use GCRTA’s System Map or the Transit App to learn more about these transit routes and where they lead: riderta.com/systemmap

University Circle is conveniently served by six bus routes, the Euclid Avenue HealthLine (bus rapid transit), and the Red Line (heavy rail). Use GCRTA’s System Map or the Transit App to learn more about these transit routes and where they lead: riderta.com/systemmap

Friday, September 22 2023 | 10:01am

Debris on the road? Potholes? Damaged or missing street signage? Make the City of Cleveland aware by reporting it to the 3-1-1 line (si...

Debris on the road? Potholes? Damaged or missing street signage? Make the City of Cleveland aware by reporting it to the 3-1-1 line (simply dial “311” while within the City’s boundary). Handy tip: request a tracking number that can be used to call back and check on the status of your service r...

Debris on the road? Potholes? Damaged or missing street signage? Make the City of Cleveland aware by reporting it to the 3-1-1 line (simply dial “311” while within the City’s boundary). Handy tip: request a tracking number that can be used to call back and check on the status of your service request.

Wednesday, September 20 2023 | 8:00am

Many road safety improvements are directed by crash data. Help us help you by reporting “close call” road incidents or to let us kn...

Many road safety improvements are directed by crash data. Help us help you by reporting “close call” road incidents or to let us know where you feel unsafe. Both University Circle Inc. and the City of Cleveland regularly monitor entries: http://bit.ly/reportclosecalls

Many road safety improvements are directed by crash data. Help us help you by reporting “close call” road incidents or to let us know where you feel unsafe. Both University Circle Inc. and the City of Cleveland regularly monitor entries: http://bit.ly/reportclosecalls

Friday, September 15 2023 | 10:01am

Join UCI and UCPD TONIGHT for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in Universit...

Join UCI and UCPD TONIGHT for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Join UCI and UCPD TONIGHT for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Wednesday, September 13 2023 | 8:00am

This Saturday, bicyclists will be riding through sections of University Circle for Cleveland Clinic’s VeloSano ride. Please remember ...

This Saturday, bicyclists will be riding through sections of University Circle for Cleveland Clinic’s VeloSano ride. Please remember that Ohio law requires motor vehicles to provide a safe passing distance of three feet or greater when overtaking a bicycle. You can view the full VeloSano routes he...

This Saturday, bicyclists will be riding through sections of University Circle for Cleveland Clinic’s VeloSano ride. Please remember that Ohio law requires motor vehicles to provide a safe passing distance of three feet or greater when overtaking a bicycle. You can view the full VeloSano routes here: velosano.org/Routes

Thursday, September 7 2023 | 2:00pm

Join UCI and UCPD next week for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in Univers...

Join UCI and UCPD next week for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Join UCI and UCPD next week for a Pedestrian Safety Advisory Community meeting via Zoom to hear updates on pedestrian safety in University Circle and share your road safety concerns. Learn more and register here: universitycircle.org/project-yield

Wednesday, September 6 2023 | 8:00am

With the start of CWRU's fall semester last week, all shuttle routes are back to operating on their regular schedule. Did you know that...

With the start of CWRU's fall semester last week, all shuttle routes are back to operating on their regular schedule. Did you know that the shuttles are FREE to ride and available to the entire community? Check out our Shuttle page to learn more: ugointhecircle.com/shuttle

With the start of CWRU's fall semester last week, all shuttle routes are back to operating on their regular schedule. Did you know that the shuttles are FREE to ride and available to the entire community? Check out our Shuttle page to learn more: ugointhecircle.com/shuttle

Tuesday, September 5 2023 | 2:00pm

A reminder that CircleLink shuttles do not operate on Labor Day, Monday, September 4. GCRTA buses and trains operate on the Sunday/holi...

A reminder that CircleLink shuttles do not operate on Labor Day, Monday, September 4. GCRTA buses and trains operate on the Sunday/holiday schedule. Visit our shuttle page for more info: uGOinthecircle.com/shuttle

A reminder that CircleLink shuttles do not operate on Labor Day, Monday, September 4. GCRTA buses and trains operate on the Sunday/holiday schedule. Visit our shuttle page for more info: uGOinthecircle.com/shuttle

Friday, September 1 2023 | 10:01am

🚨 Traffic Alert: Next Thursday, September 7, the City of Cleveland will begin resurfacing work on Adelbert Road from Euclid Avenue t...

🚨 Traffic Alert: Next Thursday, September 7, the City of Cleveland will begin resurfacing work on Adelbert Road from Euclid Avenue to Circle Drive. The work will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and should conclude in mid-October. Visit our Traffic Alerts page for more details: ugointhecircle.com...

🚨 Traffic Alert: Next Thursday, September 7, the City of Cleveland will begin resurfacing work on Adelbert Road from Euclid Avenue to Circle Drive. The work will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and should conclude in mid-October. Visit our Traffic Alerts page for more details: ugointhecircle.com/alerts

Friday, September 1 2023 | 8:00am

Stay Connected

Sign up to receive alerts and/or uGO's seldom email communications.

Calculate Your Commute

How much are you spending on your way to work?

Show Me

Stay Connected! Sign up to receive transportation alerts and stay up to date on uGO news.

Photo Gallery

1 of 22