Dockless bicycles and scooters shall continue through December but there’s a catch

From DDOT:

“The District Department of Transportation today announced it will continue the Dockless Vehicle Program for bicycles and scooters in the District.

The existing program will extend through December 2018 with minor changes. DDOT plans further changes to the program in 2019, once new regulations are proposed and adopted this Fall.

“Mayor Bowser consistently challenges us to think creatively about transportation options for District residents, as we have done for this program. We have learned a tremendous amount about the viability and performance of dockless vehicles through this demonstration project,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. “As we move forward with the program, DDOT will use the information gleaned from users, non-users, stakeholders and the participating companies to design long-term management policies that will allow the program to expand while maintaining the integrity and safety of our public space.”

From the start of the program in September 2017 through June 2018 users took more than 625,000 rides on dockless bikes and scooters. In May 2018 alone, more than 55,000 users took over 140,000 trips.

Phase I Extension

The Phase 1 extension will run from September through December 2018 and maintain the current cap on vehicles at 400 per company. One of the key new features is a requirement that dockless bikes must have a mechanism for bikes to lock to a bike rack or other post to maintain unobstructed pedestrian areas and prevent tipping.

Additionally, DDOT is requiring the dockless vehicle operators to educate their respective customers about properly parking and securing bikes and scooters in public space.

DDOT has also accelerated the pace of installing traditional bike racks in public space across all eight wards. To date, over 200 new bike racks have been installed around the District. An additional 300 racks are scheduled to be installed throughout the fall of 2018, providing 600 new bike parking spaces.

Timeline for 2019 Proposed Regulation Adoption for Dockless Demonstration Program

In September, the Administration plans to propose a regulatory framework to guide a long-term approach to program management. Later this year, DDOT will begin accepting permit applications for operators for the Dockless Bicycle/ Dockless Electric Scooter Program – any operators currently part of the pilot will need to formally re-apply once the pilot phase concludes in December 2018. In January 2019, DDOT plans to issue new permits based on the revised regulatory framework including:

· Equipment and operation standards

· Coverage in all eight wards

· Data sharing requirements

· Program fees to cover administration and public space management costs

· Performance bonds and enforcement mechanisms to reinforce good
management practices

Members of the public who want to provide feedback are encouraged to email [email protected].”