Divvy electric scooters debut in downtown Chicago; three other companies to bring scooters to neighborhoods this summer

CHICAGO (CBS)-- Chicago is now home to the only docked scooter and bike station in the nation.

The new Divvy docking station is at the Thompson Center at the corner of Randolph and LaSalle streets.

The bike-sharing program is already available throughout the city, but the new station is the first place riders can grab either a Divvy bike or an electric scooter.

City leaders and Divvy officials cut the ribbon on the new station Tuesday morning.

Supporters of the micro-mobility program say it will help Chicago be more eco-friendly, while keeping sidewalks clear when riders are done with the scooters.

"We enter into a new era of being greener for the city of Chicago, bringing affordable transportation to people in the city of Chicago, alleviating congestion," said Ald. Howard Brookins (21st), who chairs the City Council Transportation Committee.

Over 230 docked Divvy stations near downtown have been updated and will integrate 1,000 scooters by the end of June.

"Stations offer convenient and predictable experiences for riders, at the same time helping to maintain the right of way for our pedestrians," said Tamara Conway, general manager of Lyft Bikes and Scooters, the company that operates Divvy.

Meantime, three other companies also are expected to begin operating a permanent shared scooter program across the rest of the city this summer.

Lime, Spin, and Superpedestrian each will be allowed to provide 1,000 shared e-scooters across the city initially, but could eventually be allowed to expand to 2,000 scooters each.

To start, only Divvy's scooters will be available downtown, while Lime, Spin, and Superpedestrian will be allowed to deploy their scooters throughout the rest of the city, with at least half of them supplied in designated "Equity Priority Areas" on the South Side and West Side, where residents have fewer public transportation options.

If those three scooter vendors meet certain performance goals by mid-summer, they would be able to begin deploying scooters downtown.