E-scooters roll back into Dallas with new rules just in time for summer
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas) - Just in time for summer, rent-by-the-hour e-bikes and scooters are returning to Dallas streets.
An official launch is slated for next week, but a so-called 'soft launch' is already underway. And Alex Alvarez of Duncanville was instantly intrigued.
"Just chilling with my friend, riding around downtown," he explains while riding a rented scooter near Dallas City Hall. "It's my first time grabbing one. I see everyone else riding them, so I thought I'd see how it goes."
But, three years ago with the abandoned devices cluttering sidewalks and creating safety hazards, Dallas had had enough. The companies looking to roll into the Dallas market again are promising to do better.
"We've worked with the city nonstop as we plan to launch to make sure it's a much-improved experience for everyone-- for our riders, but also the entire city of Dallas this time around," says Jacob Tugendrajch, a spokesperson for LIME. "And so, we put a lot of rules in place."
Those rules include:
* "No Ride Zones" include all public parks, trails and plazas
* "Slow-Ride Zones": speeds limited to 10 mph, including Deep Ellum, West End, and the Kirk Pedestrian Bridge
* Each Operator Limited to Maximum 500 devices on public property
* Hours Limited to 5 a.m. - 9 p.m.
* Riding scooters on sidewalks is still prohibited
The list of prohibited places begs the question, where can the devices be ridden? Tugendrajch says technology and the LIME app will help riders ride by the rules.
"So, when you use the LIME app to rent this scooter, there will be pretty clearly delineated maps showing you where you can ride and where you can't ride. There will also be maps showing you where you'll have to go a little bit slower than usual, and then, even with parking, we'll show you where you'll need to use a parking corral or a mandatory parking zone, which are sort of new situations that we've developed over the past few years to not only keep people riding safely, but also keep them parking properly." Also, "geofencing" technology will eventually prohibit the devices from operating in areas deemed off limits.
"So, this time around it should be safer, and it should be a lot cleaner, a lot less street clutter." But hopefully, just as much fun.
"They just move fast," says Alvarez, "and who doesn't want to move fast?"
