Scooter rentals have arrived in Plano with guidelines to reduce problems

Electric scooter rentals have arrived in Plano with regulations aimed at avoiding problems other communities face with the alternative mode of transportation.

Bird Rides, an electric scooter company, is the city’s first electric scooter company, having opened a store in Plano on Monday. Cyclists will pay per minute to use a scooter and will be able to find them using a mobile phone app, the city said in a statement.

Visitors and residents can use scooters as an alternative transportation option to help reduce carbon emissions and the number of cars on city streets, according to the city.

The city has measures in place to avoid the problems other communities have encountered with electric scooters.

“The city of Plano is approaching the problem differently from Dallas,” spokesman Steve Stoler said in an email response. “In Dallas, it seemed to be free for everyone. “

In Dallas, the city’s transportation department temporarily shut down the scooter program in September 2020 due to public safety concerns. Many scooter companies had started operating in the city in 2018.

At its peak, thousands of scooters in Dallas were found through intersections and parks. Some have been found hanging from trees or floating at the bottom of streams and other waterways, such as The morning news from Dallas previously reported in an editorial.

In Plano, scooter companies will be required to follow the regulations set out in municipal bylaws. They also need to get pre-approval for the “reception areas” where the scooters will be stored, Stoler said.

“If someone drops off a scooter in a different location, it is the responsibility of the companies to reposition those scooters in an area of ​​origin,” he said.

Businesses will have time constraints in place to pick up scooters and get them to the right place.

“If they don’t meet the deadlines, they can be fined,” Stoler said.

Bird Rides electric scooters can travel up to 15mph and can only be used on streets with speed limits of 35mph or less, depending on the city. Riders must be at least 18 years old and must also follow all traffic laws and rules of the road. Riders are also encouraged to wear helmets, according to the press release announcing the scooters.

Anyone with questions or concerns are urged to contact the company directly at 1-866-205-2442 or [email protected], depending on the city. More information about the company is available on its website.