Oakland, CA – Wednesday, January 8th, 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.”
Said Rebecca Kaplan, President of the Oakland city Council, who authored Oakland’s ordinance to allow and regulate scooters: “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. 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.”
“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:
· Two-wheeled, Tomoloo L1 scooter with an installed seat.
· The handlebar is wider than Lime’s newest Gen 3 model for
better balance.
· Includes padded seat and spring suspension
· Top speed 15 mph
· Max range of 11.7 miles
· The renter of the vehicle can power the vehicle on/off to save
power
Additional information about Lime’s initiatives and work for persons with disabilities is available here.
The Oakland City Council adopted an ordinance creating a regulated scooter share system in July of 2018 (see attached), which OakDOT implemented in 2019. The legislation was the first in the nation to require shared electric scooter providers to provide vehicles accessible to persons with disabilities. See attached Ordinance.