Scooter and Bike Share Services

Shared Mobility Services 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 that launched in September 2018, allowing four private companies (Bird, Jump, Lime, and Lyft) to provide shared mobility services in the public-right-of-way. The program enabled 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.

In April and May of 2020, Lime and Jump discontinued operations in Santa Monica. Due to uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, on May 26, 2020, Council voted to extend the first Pilot Program through April 30, 2021, and postponed a previously approved second shared mobility pilot program with intensified regulations until May 2021.

You can read more about the first Shared Mobility Pilot Program in this Press Release, Pilot Program Summary Report, and Staff Report to City Council.

The Pilot Program is facilitated through Administrative Regulations, which provide flexibility to quickly adapt to changing environments and industries and are subject to amendment during the Pilot Program as the City works with Operators to make data-driven decisions to deliver a safe transportation option and define effective solutions to known and identified challenges as the process evolves.

Shared Mobility Pilot Administrative Regulations updated July 24, 2020

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.

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to rapidly evolve, the City of Santa Monica recognizes the need to continue to provide reliable and safe transportation options through this uncertain time for essential trips outside the home. For that reason Bird and Lyft will continue their regular service to provide additional transportation options in this unique time. Based on growing ridership, the overall reduction of operators and number of city-wide permitted devices, and to increase accessibility and encourage ridership, the City will increase Bird and Lyft’s permitted fleets sizes to 750 e-scooters each. Additionally, because Jump discontinued the only e-bike service in Santa Monica, and because Lyft was originally selected to be permitted to operate 500 e-bikes (which were never launched), the City will permit Lyft to operate 500 e-bikes as part of the pilot program.

Fleet Cap Adjustment Final Administrative Decision - July 27, 2020

Fleet Cap Adjustment Final Administrative Decision – March 30, 2020

Bird Fleet Adjustment Final Decision - September 13, 2019

Bird Fleet Adjustment Final Administrative Decision – July 18, 2019

Jump Fleet Adjustment Final Administrative Decision – July 18, 2019

Lyft Fleet Adjustment Final Administrative Decision – July 18, 2019

Current Shared Mobility Device Allocation

Bird: 350 e-scooters

Lyft: 350 e-scooters

TOTAL: 700 devices

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Shared Mobility Survey Reports

As a part of the program the City conducted a general community survey (open to responses from July 16, 2019 to August 2, 2019) in order to better understand perceptions of the pilot program, community awareness of shared mobility rules, and community sentiment toward issues specific to shared mobility.

The City also 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 surveys were created and hosted by the City, and were open to responses from January 25, 2019 to February 15, 2019 (1st Wave) and May 28, 2019 to June 9, 2019 (2nd Wave). The combine User Survey Summary Reports are linked below.

Shared Mobility User Survey 

Shared Mobility FAQ

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

Metro Bike Share is offered in the City of Santa Monica. To get rolling, visit Metro.bikeshare.net. Bird and Lyft currently operate 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. 

What are the rules for riding shared mobility devices?

Where should I 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

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: Bird: (866) 205-2442 and 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 Santa Monica's 311 program

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 Santa Monica 311.

If you have any questions about the Shared Mobility rules or pilot program contact the Mobility Division in the Department of Transportation 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.