Scooter and Bike Share Services

Shared mobility devices are a new transportation option where devices like bikes, electric bikes, and electric scooters are shared among users. They are typically enabled by technology or a mobile app, and emerging services are frequently run by private companies. Providing more low-emission mobility options can create a more diverse, convenient, and accessible transportation network that would reduce emissions and congestion, and improve the quality of life in the city. However, like with all new technologies, shared mobility devices can also pose significant challenges with regard to appropriately managing the public-right-of-way (PROW), encouraging public safety, and adapting old regulations to new business types.

To expand the diversity of transportation options in Santa Monica, and address the challenges introduced by new technologies, the Santa Monica City Council approved a 16-month Shared Mobility Pilot Program at its June 12, 2018 meeting. The pilot began on September 17, 2018, allowing four private companies (Bird, Jump, Lime, and Lyft) to provide shared mobility services in the public-right-of-way. The program will enable the City to:  

• Develop a new area of policy, regulation, and enforcement through firsthand experience
• Move quickly to adapt to a rapidly changing industry, but leave room to learn and adjust as appropriate
• Test new device and service providers in a growing industry
• Explore partnership models with private companies
• Explore possibilities for data capture, structures, and utilization
• Allow the City time to experiment with different management tools like “Geo-fencing” and creation of shared mobility device drop zones

Fleet Size Adjustments 

As detailed in Section 3.3 in the Pilot Program’s Administrative Regulations (“Administrative Regulations”), an operator may add devices to its fleet, upon request to and approval by the City, when the operator demonstrates with device and utilization data that average ridership exceeds a Minimum Utilization Rate (“MUR”) of three (3) rides per day for e-bikes and four (4) rides per day for e-scooters. When utilization falls below the prescribed MUR, the City may require operators to remove the number of devices to meet or exceed the MUR. When utilization is above the prescribed MUR, operators may request to add devices. The Administrative Regulations outline criteria for the City to consider in the evaluation of requests for device increases or device decrease determinations. The criteria includes market needs, the number of devices deployed in the City, device utilization, operator performance, public safety, seasonal and environmental conditions, special events, and other criteria.  

In November 2018, and February and March 2019, the City has received requests from Lyft and Jump to increase their e-scooter and e-bike fleets, which were then denied. At the request of the operators, the City has revisited those requests and determined that the Shared Mobility Pilot Program device allocation is warranted per the Administrative Regulations. Below are the Final Administrative Decisions for fleet size adjustments.

BirdFleet Adjustment Final Administrative Decision – July 18, 2019

JumpFleet Adjustment Final Administrative Decision – July 18, 2019

Lyft Fleet Adjustment Final Administrative Decision – July 18, 2019

Shared Mobility Device Allocation

Bird: 500 e-scooters

Jump: 750 e-bikes, 250 e-scooter

Lime: 750 e-scooters

Lyft: 750 e-scooters

TOTAL: 3,000 devices

The City will be accepting public comment on the tentative fleet size cap adjustments until the close of business on July 17, 2019. Click the below link to submit your public comment.

ProvidePublic Comment

Shared Mobility Community Survey

Now that we are eleven months into the City of Santa Monica’s Shared Mobility Pilot Program, we want to hear your thoughts about e-bikes and e-scooters. The pilot was developed to expand the diversity of accessible and affordable transportation options in Santa Monica and address challenges introduced by this new technology.

Please take this seven-minute survey to help inform the remainder of the pilot. The survey is open through August 02, 2019.

Take the Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/sharedmobilitySM

Users Survey Conducted 01/25/19 to 02/15/19

As a part of the program the City worked with the four permitted operators to conduct a survey of the shared mobility users in order to better understand these systems; where, why and how often they ride; tare the shared mobility trips displacing trips by other modes of transportation; and how familiar are they with the rules/etiquette of riding shared mobility devices. The user survey was created and hosted by the City, and was open to responses from January 25, 2019 to February 15, 2019. 

Shared Mobility User Survey 01/25/19 to 2/15/19

Shared Mobility FAQ

How do I sign-up to use Shared Mobility devices?

Currently the City’s Breeze Bike Share and Metro Bike Share are offered in the City of Santa Monica. To get rolling visit Breezebikeshare.com or Metro.bikeshare.net. The City selected Bird, Jump, Lime and Lyft to participate in the Shared Mobility Pilot Program. To sign up to use those systems visit their websites or mobile application on your smart phone. 

How do I get a Shared Mobility device?

Information about where shared mobility devices are available and how to find them is available on each system’s mobile app and/or website. Information about how to check out and return devices is typically provided on the devices, or on the app and/or website as well. Visit those resources for instructions particular to each system. Breeze bike share information is available also on the Transit and CityMapper apps.

What are the rules for riding shared mobility devices?

Where to park shared mobility devices?

The best place to park shared mobility devices is in the “furniture zone” or the section of the sidewalk between the curb and the pedestrian through zone where street furniture, lighting, benches, utility poles, tree pits, and bicycle racks live. Never leave a device blocking sidewalks, curb ramps, ADA access, doorways, and the congested areas like the beach bike path.

Furniture Zone. Source: NACTO

What if a shared mobility device is causing an obstruction or a hazard?

If a device is causing an obstruction or hazard, or parked on your property do one of the following:

Call the Company: Call or email the company directly to ask them to come remove the device. The company’s contact information should be prominently displayed on the device and are listed below.

Bird: (866) 205-2442

Jump: (877) 781-4009

Lime: (888) 546-3345

Lyft: (877) 452-6699

Have the Device Removed: Devices that are left in the public right of way (e.g. sidewalk, crosswalk, street, curb) in a manner that presents an immediate hazard are subject to impound (an example of an immediate hazard is a device blocking a disability ramp). If a device is impounded a fee of $95 per device will be assessed to the operator to retrieve the device. If you would like to report a device, contact the City’s Public works department at: City's Code Enforcement at (310) 458-4984 

What should I do if I was involved in a collision or altercation and I want to file a report?

If you are involved in a collision or altercation contact the Santa Monica Police Department: 310-458-8491. If it is an emergency call 9-1-1.

How do I report a broken device?

If you encounter a broken device, contact the company directly to request removal of the device. The company’s contact information should be prominently be displayed on the device. If the broken device is causing an obstruction or hazard contact the City’s Public works department at: City's Code Enforcement at (310) 458-4984

If you have any questions about the Shared Mobility rules or pilot program contact the Mobility Division in the Department of Planning and Community Development at: kyle.kozar@smgov.net and (310)458-8341.

Application and Selection Process

The Shared Mobility Pilot Program participating operators were selected through a selection process established in Chapter 3.21 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code.  Click here for more information.