FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November7, 2019
Contact: Dane Eifling
Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs Coordinator
Engineering Division
479.575.8243
deifling@fayetteville-ar.gov
City and University Issue Shared E-Scooter Vendor Permits This Week
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— Two companies are nearing final approval from the University of Arkansas and City of Fayetteville to launch shared electric scooter operations within the City. Both companies—Spin and Lime—are headquartered in San Francisco, CA, and will have local offices and staff to manage operations in the Fayetteville market.
The Arkansas General Assembly passed the Electric Motorized Scooter Act in July 2019. In accordance with that legislation, the City staff and City Council created and passed an ordinance that establishes regulations for use of motorized e-scooters within the City, as well as requirements for scooter-share vendors.
The City of Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas have been working in tandem to approve and issue vendor permits. Scooter-share companies must hold a valid City permit in order to acquire a permit approved by the University. Companies must renew their permits every six months to comply with local and state regulations. Permit fees are expected to total approximately $45,000 annually and the funds will be used to offset additional City and UA staff time associated with managing e-scooters. Funds will also be used to pay for bike and pedestrian infrastructure and safety initiatives.
Electric scooters can be ridden legally anywhere bicycles are allowed, including streets and paved trails. Riding e-scooters on sidewalks is not permitted where the sidewalk abuts a building. Riders must always yield to pedestrians. E-scooters should be parked at bike racks or in other appropriate areas not blocking pedestrian or vehicle access. Users will be required to photograph their parked scooter and submit the image via mobile phone as part of finalizing their rental. Some areas will be designated as no-parking zones with geo-fences (virtual boundaries around a geographic location). Scooters will give an audible alert to notify riders if they attempt to park in one of these areas. The ten-square-mile service area for shared e-scooters will be consistent with the existing VeoRide bike-share boundaries.
Electric scooters are capable of speeds up to 15 mph, but can be set to automatically slow down in specified zones as deemed necessary for safety. Slow zones have been set in some areas of the UA campus with heavy pedestrian traffic.
The City’s ordinance allows for 250 e-scooters per vendor with a total cap of 500 e-scooters. City and University staff are in the process of finalizing permits and conducting equipment testing and verification of geo-fence functions. The public can expect to see up to 200 e-scooters available to use as early as Friday, November 8, with more being added incrementally.
For more information on rates and how to ride, visit the vendors’ websites:
Lime: https://www.li.me/electric-scooter
Spin: https://www.spin.app/
For information on e-scooter rules and regulations in the City and on the UA campus, visit:
City of Fayetteville: www.fayetteville-ar.gov/scooters
University of Arkansas: https://parking.uark.edu/parking-services/parking-control/parking-and-traffic-regulations.php
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