Indy Council Approves Regulations For Electric Scooters

Companies must pay $15

The Indianapolis City-County Council has approved regulations for shared electric scooter companies. Our partners at WFYI report the proposal came with a number of stipulations, including a requirement for companies to pay $15,000 for an annual license.

The two companies who have made waves in Indy, Bird and Lime, had agreed to cease operations at the request of the council until regulations could be passed. In addition to the license, the companies must pay $1 per day/per device, have each device marked with a unique serial number, equipped with a bell or horn, and their corresponding mobile apps must tell users to obey traffic laws and wear a helmet.

The ordinance also addresses the parking issue with the scooters. The systems for both Bird and Lime are dock-free, meaning users can leave the scooters wherever they want when they are finished riding them. The ordinance says the scooters must be parked with at least six feet of unobstructed passage on a right-of-way and also forbids blocking ADA accessible ramps and entrances, according to WFYI. 

The proposal now heads to Mayor Joe Hogsett’s desk for approval.

Earlier this month, council Vice President Zach Adamson told Inside INdiana Business the safety concerns associated with the dockless scooter system needed to be addressed, but said it could help bridge some of the city’s public transportation gaps. Lime General Operations Manager Nathan Hasse also discussed the Indianapolis customer response to the rental scooters prior to halting the service. You can view that interview by clicking here.