East Bronx e-scooter
program delayed
BY ALIYA SCHNEIDER
A pilot program planned
to bring thousands of electric
scooters to the east Bronx by
early July has yet to launch,
with no updated start date
from city transportation offi -
cials.
The e-scooter initiative
stems from legislation sponsored
by Democratic City
Councilman Fernando Cabrera
and passed by the City
Council on June 25, 2020, to
remove restrictions on electric
scooters with top speeds
under 20 mph. Cabrera’s additional
piece of legislation requiring
the New York City Department
of Transportation
(DOT) to establish a scootershare
pilot program for
neighborhoods underserved
by bike-share programs was
passed the same day.
The pilot was supposed
to launch the fi rst week of
July, according to Cabrera,
who represents District 14 in
the Bronx.But DOT offi cials
did not provide a timeline or
reasons for the delay to the
Bronx Times other than saying
it will start “soon.” And
DOT did not respond to Cabrera’s
request for an updated
launch timeline.
The legislation states that
DOT should identify the escooter
companies for the pilot
by March 1, 2021.
Timing was the biggest
point of contention for the pilot,
Cabrera said. Advocates
wanted DOT to select scooter
companies for the launch by
September 2020, but DOT was
dealing with the pandemic
and wanted additional time,
so they ultimately settled on
March.
Cabrera has seen legislation
pass and then be left at a
standstill, and he wanted to
ensure the program would be
executed.
“We just wanted to make
sure that it happened,” he
said.
Cabrera believes the scooters
are an environmentally
friendly and affordable way to
solve parking congestion and
public transportation deserts.
Parking issues have amplifi
ed in the Bronx because
people are avoiding the subways
with crime increasing,
he said.
“This is the mode of transportation
that we need right
now,” he added.
In April, DOT announced
Lime, Bird and Veo as the
companies participating in
the pilot. When contacted by
the Bronx Times, all three
companies deferred to DOT
for a start date.
When it does eventually
An e-scooter initiative passed by the New York City Council in 2020, which was supposed to kick-off earlier this
month, is set to bring up to 3,000 scooters to the Bronx this year. Photo courtesy Lime
kick-off, the pilot plans to
launch in two phases. Up to
3,000 scooters will be distributed
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 34 ULY 30-AUG. 5, 2021 BTR
this year to Eastchester,
Wakefi eld, Pelham Parkway,
Morris Park and Co-op City
areas. Next year, the second
phase will bring as many as
6,000 scooters southward, including
to the Throggs Neck,
Parkchester and Soundview
sections of the Bronx. Both
phases makeup an 18-squaremile
zone that is home to
570,000 residents, including
25,000 New York City Housing
Authority residents, according
to DOT.
Rides will initially be restricted
to the phase one
boundary and the motor will
shut off if a rider attempts to
leave the area, DOT spokesman
Brian Zumhagen said.
Riders will be able to freely
move between the whole zone
during the second phase.
DOT estimates there will
be 75 jobs for operations and
maintenance to start the program,
and likely more positions
for outreach and administration,
Zumhagen said.
Lime, Bird and Veo all
agreed to hire locally, Cabrera
said.
All three companies will
charge $1 to unlock a scooter;
Veo and Bird will charge
$0.39 per minute and Lime
will charge $0.30 per minute,
according to DOT. New
Yorkers enrolled in state and
federal assistance programs
will be eligible for discounted
fares. Other groups, including
veterans, seniors, frontline
workers, teachers and
people working in the performing
arts, non-profi t and
hospitality sectors will also
be eligible for discounts, depending
on the scooter company.
People without smartphones
can call customer
service to start and end trips
with Veo and text to unlock
scooters with Lime.
The Mayor’s Offi ce for People
with Disabilities worked
with DOT to ensure accessible
options are also included
in the program. At least 30
wheelchair accessible scooters
will be available when
the pilot launches and companies
will adjust supply based
on user feedback, Zumhagen
said.
New protected bike lanes
— located between sidewalks
and painted buffer zones to
separate car traffi c — will be
designated on White Plains
Road and Bronxdale Avenue
as part of the pilot program,
according to DOT. Conventional
bike lanes, which are
located between car traffi c
and parking, are also planned
for East 233rd Street and East
Map courtesy NYC DOT chester Road this year.