News from: Oakland Dept. of Transportation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 8, 2020 OakDOT and Lime Launch First-Ever E-Scooter Pilot Program Designed for Riders with Disabilities Program includes at-home delivery and reduced rates for low-income users, expanding Oakland’s efforts to provide equitable access to new, innovative means of transportation Oakland, CA –Today, the City of Oakland’s Department of Transportation (OakDOT) and shared-mobility service provider Lime launched the first-ever e-scooter pilot program for riders with disabilities. The pilot features an e-scooter intended for riders who are not comfortable or unable to stand for a long time and/or have limited capacity for walking. This new accessible micro-mobility for Oakland residents with disabilities to travel and commute to work/home, run errands, and make their lives more convenient as it increases their transportation options. “I helped found Oakland’s first-ever Department of Transportation because our community deserves dedicated leadership and innovation making our city safer and easier to travel -- for every single Oaklander,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “Tens of thousands of Oaklanders manage disabilities every day. This program is an exciting step forward in our work to better serve them, expanding access to new shared mobility options that make getting from Point A to Point B that much more affordable or convenient.” “I am pleased we were able to write and pass a law in Oakland to allow scooters, with responsible regulations to serve the needs of our community,” City Council President Rebecca Kaplan said. “We don’t have to choose between a ban and chaos - we can have a permitted scooter system and include regulations to prevent negative impacts and ensure public access. Today’s new expanded accessible scooters are another important piece of progress to help ensure these mobility options can provide access for all in our community.” "OakDOT is proud to partner with Lime to lead the way on this first-of-its-kind mobility program for persons with disabilities," OakDOT Director Ryan Russo said. "Oakland is committed to ensuring all transportation is equitable and accessible to all our neighbors and visitors. We are excited to build on our growing track record creating and expanding shared mobility options in our town. OakDOT will closely monitor this program to help ensure it meets the needs of our community and succeeds and grows over time." "I applaud Lime and the City of Oakland for creating this exciting new pilot program for persons with limited mobility or disabilities," said Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities Vice Chair Frank Sperling. "The Bay Area is the cradle of innovation. As technology continues to advance and makes our lives easier, it's imperative that people with disabilities benefit and are included in all the successes. The Commission looks forward to helping evaluate and evolve this innovative new program.” “Lime’s mission has always been to empower communities and residents with green, safe, and affordable transportation options,” said EV Ellington, Lime’s Bay Area General Manager. “Today, we are excited to expand our service to riders with disabilities that deserve access to the benefits of this new technology. We are so pleased to roll out our first in the nation adaptive pilot program in Oakland, a city long known for leadership in both equity and accessibility. People interested in using the program will be able to reserve an adaptive e-scooter in advance using an online reservation process through the Lime app, and Lime will deliver it directly to them. This is a key accessibility and equity feature, so riders with limited mobility don’t have to search for an available scooter on the street. Rentals will be for a 24-hour period and the customer can use the adaptive vehicle at their convenience. Similar to renting a car, when scheduling the delivery, the customer will select a pickup time. Lime will then pick up the adaptive e-scooter from the same location. After use, each scooter will receive a full battery charge and maintenance inspection in preparation for its next usage. The cost of using the adaptive e-scooter will be $32 for a daylong (24-hour) rental, and will include a reduced 50% discount for registered low-income Lime Access users. Lime will accept credit card payment when customers reserve their scooter through the online reservation process, or cash at the time of delivery. Device Specifics:
About OakDOT’s Shared Mobility Work The City of Oakland’s Department of Transportation is committed to helping make shared mobility services accessible and equitably available to all Oaklanders and visitors. In order to achieve this goal, OakDOT created a regulated permit program for shared electric scooters in July 2019. The program was the first in the nation to require all shared electric scooter providers to provide vehicles accessible to persons with disabilities. OakDOT is excited to continue working with the stakeholders from the disability community and private sector partners to evaluate and improve the accessibility of all shared mobility services over time. # # # |
OakDOT and Lime Launch First-Ever E-Scooter Pilot Program Designed for Riders with Disabilities
Today, the City of Oakland’s Department of Transportation (OakDOT) and shared-mobility service provider Lime launched the first-ever e-scooter pilot program for riders with disabilities. The pilot features an e-scooter intended for riders who are not comfortable or unable to stand for a long time and/or have limited capacity for walking. This new accessible micro-mobility for Oakland residents with disabilities to travel and commute to work/home, run errands, and make their lives more convenient as it increases their transportation options.
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