Electric Scooters Gone From Denver, For Now

By Mark Ackerman

DENVER (CBS4) – The standoff between the City of Denver and the start-up electric scooter companies is over. As of Monday morning, Lime and Bird have pulled their scooters from Denver streets.

Last week both the Lime and Bird apps would have been filled with scooters available for rent. Monday morning they were gone.

The electric scooters will be on a two-week hiatus until the City can establish a pilot-program to regulate the dock-free scooters, which are frequently left on sidewalks or in front of businesses.

"In accordance with the wishes of the Denver Department of Public Works, today Lime will be removing our scooters from Denver for the next two weeks while we work with the City on developing a pilot program for dock-free shared mobility," wrote Lime spokeswoman Mary Caroline Pruitt.

"We apologize to our riders for any inconvenience this may cause. We appreciate the DPW for their efforts, and hope to return to Denver soon. We are eager to continue to serve Denver residents and visitors with Lime as their affordable, sustainable transportation option."

The pilot program may be similar to the one established last week in Santa Monica, California, which saw an influx of scooters last September. A CBS4 public records request found that electric scooters were cited with 424 traffic violations this year in Santa Monica. There were no reported fatalities, but 16 people were injured seriously enough to require first responders.

Denver Public Works says it will provide Lime and Bird with a way to apply for a permit by June 29.

As of today, Denver Public Works has issued $39,600 in administrative citations to Lime and Bird. So, to give you a breakdown, that's 264 citations at $150 each.

Mark Ackerman is a Special Projects Producer at CBS4. Follow him on Twitter @ackermanmark