Photo by Zach Bauman
We are pleased to announce that user-submitted end-trip photos indicate 99% of RideKC Scooters are parked correctly! That means they are locked to bike racks, bike share stations, sign posts, or other secure structures that are on public property and not blocking the public right-of-way or a building entrance.
You won’t find RideKC Scooters tipped over in an ADA ramp or lined up unattended on a sidewalk, because users can’t end a trip without locking the device to an approved bike rack or “hub” and snapping a picture to prove it’s parked properly. And that 1% of badly parked scooters? Our local operations team is quick to address any issues.
Scootering is a fun and social way to get around, but as with any new technology, there has been a learning curve for cities, vendors, and users. Before we launched Ride KC Scooter, we studied the situation carefully in both Kansas City and other cities. Businesses, pedestrians, and cities were voicing concerns about scooter parking. The vehicles have been left on driveways, in front of entrances, and in ADA ramps, blocking the public right-of-way. When we applied for the City of Kansas City, Missouri’s Scooter Pilot Program, we offered a new solution: scooters that lock to a bike rack or other secure structure. As active transportation advocates, we believe that mobility is freedom, and blocking someone else’s access to a sidewalk is not an acceptable option.
Shared e-scooters are giving local active transportation a boost! The novelty and convenience of these new mobility devices is drawing people out of the isolation of a personal vehicle and into the public sphere. They are creating more demand for bike lanes (KCMO doesn’t allow scootering on the sidewalk) and more demand for bike racks at businesses, government buildings, and tourist destinations. In response, the City of KCMO has installed two “micro-mobility parking hubs” downtown, and is preparing to add more in other popular areas.
While our employees stock RideKC Bikes and RideKC Scooters only at official mobility hubs and bike stations, users vote with their wheels for locations with the best parking amenities. Businesses that are interested in attracting more scootering customers, or whose bike racks are already overflowing, should contact BikeWalkKC to inquire about their bike parking services, or the City of KCMO to inquire about a micro-mobility parking hub. (Fun fact: 12 bicycles/scooters can fit into one car parking space!)
Click here to learn more about RideKC Bikes and RideKC Scooters. Daily, monthly, and annual memberships are available.