The proverbial saying that even the best-laid plans can go awry seems particularly apt when discussing the Dallas City Council’s efforts to regulate electric scooters. A recent report presented to a Dallas City Council committee revealed that the city’s second attempt at introducing micromobility options still requires significant improvements.
Three years ago, Dallas’s first foray into electric scooters resulted in chaos, leading to a citywide ban. Scooters were recklessly abandoned, and riders engaged in dangerous behaviors, including racing on streets and sidewalks. The city was overwhelmed by the rapid influx of scooters, and regulatory frameworks were not in place to manage the situation.
In the spring, the Dallas City Council approved a more structured second attempt to reintroduce electric scooters. This time, the city imposed limitations on the number of scooters, their operational zones, and distribution strategies. Only three operators—Bird, Lime, and Superpedestrian—were authorized to deploy a maximum of 500 scooters each initially. The plan also included an automatic suspension clause for operators receiving more than 20 complaints within a week.
Kathryn Rush, Chief Planner with the Department of Transportation, and Gus Khankarli, Dallas Transportation Department Director, recently met with the Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to discuss the program’s progress. They identified several issues, such as scooters turning off mid-ride due to time restrictions and ineffective GPS geofencing to prevent sidewalk riding. The officials suggested rule modifications to address these problems.
However, the committee was not convinced that rule adjustments were necessary. Councilman Omar Narvaez, the committee chair, expressed distrust in the operators and was reluctant to make any changes until they demonstrated compliance with existing regulations. Councilwoman Kathy Stewart echoed these sentiments, stating that the operators had over-promised and under-delivered.
One of the key technological challenges was the inability of operators to prevent scooters from being ridden on sidewalks effectively. Although operators claimed to have technology to address this, the reality proved otherwise. The city is now considering additional technologies, such as camera sensors, to detect sidewalk riding.
The city has received numerous complaints about scooters being abandoned on sidewalks and private properties. Furthermore, there was a distribution imbalance, with scooters being scarce in central Dallas areas while being abundant in transit-starved regions. Rush suggested recalibrating the distribution percentages, but the committee was not in favor.
Ridership has declined from an initial high, which Rush attributes to seasonal factors like high summer temperatures. As the weather changes, the city expects an increase in scooter usage. However, the committee remains cautious and is not willing to make any immediate changes to the existing ordinance.
The Dallas City Council’s second attempt at regulating electric scooters has revealed a series of challenges and unmet expectations. Despite the introduction of stricter guidelines and technological solutions, the program is far from achieving its intended outcomes. The Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee remains skeptical, advocating for a “wait-and-see” approach before considering any further rule modifications.
