After implementing new and stricter regulations, the City of Dallas, TX has reintroduced shared, dockless micro mobility vehicles after removing them from service a few years ago due to safety concerns. Three micro mobility operators: Bird; Lime; and Superpedestrian have been selected to offer the service for the next year.
Each provider is permitted to launch 500 vehicles, but will be allowed to incrementally increase this number if they meet targets for ridership and complaint statistics. To ensure that the vehicles are evenly dispersed, no more than 25% of them will be deployed in the Central Zone of the city. To meet the needs of residents, at least 15% must be deployed in Equity Opportunity Zones across the city. Vehicles will only be available between 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. for people 16 and older.
All e-scooters and e-bikes will be restricted to speeds of up to 20 miles per hour (~ 32 km/hr) across the city, and must also be equipped with front and rear lights. First-time users are now required to take a knowledge test on the city’s laws for riding. City laws include a ban on sidewalk riding, tandem riding, and riding under the influence of alcohol. A few of the rental companies will also require riders to take a reaction time test to detect drunk riding.
Users will now have to submit a photo at the end of their trip to show that they have correctly parked their vehicle. All of the dockless vehicles must be parked on sidewalks wider than eight feet (~ 2.5 meters) or in designated parking racks. Incorrectly parking a scooter will result in a US$20 fine. Violations – such as riding the wrong way on a one-way street – can result in a fine of up to $US200.
A new service request category within the city’s non-emergency 311 line will be available for people to report any issues related to e-bikes and scooters.