Posted April 26, 20187 yr I'm not sure if they've made the news in Ohio, but there's been an extremely intense debate about electric scooters here in San Francisco. Basically, three companies dumped hundreds of electric scooters throughout the city, and people can book them for $1 + $0.15/minute using an app. They've created a huge controversy because people have been leaving them in the middle of the sidewalk, blocking doors with them, and riding them on sidewalks and spooking pedestrians. They're supposed to solve the "last mile problem" by giving people a way to get from BART/MUNI stations to their final destination, but San Francisco's density and traffic (nobody wants to ride them in congested streets) has made them a nuisance. Not to mention, San Francisco's transit coverage is very dense and pretty much everywhere is within 1/2 mile of a bus/train stop. Growing up in NE Ohio and coming back periodically, I've always been struck by how Cleveland's rail network is so extensive for a city of its size, but many of the stations are *just* a little too far away from jobs/people/attractions (with some notable exceptions). I've also been following RTA's funding and ridership woes and really want to see the system turn around. I'm curious what you all think about electric scooters and whether they could boost the reach of the Rapid and/or ease the pain of recent bus service cuts. A lot of the neighborhoods are separated from stations by long quiet streets, which is an ideal setting for the scooters. Could RTA acquire its own fleet of scooters, or should it partner with one or more of the companies? What about geofencing Rapid stations and counting a scooter ride as a "transfer" if it originates or ends at a station? What about equity? Could scooter rides be included in an RTA monthly pass for low-income residents? Because they're battery powered, they can provide mobility to people unable to ride bikes (but who can still stand). And finally, they can provide supplemental income to people who pick them up and recharge them.
March 12, 20196 yr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 4, 20196 yr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 23, 20195 yr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 23, 20195 yr On 4/4/2019 at 5:39 PM, KJP said: Does the County have this authority? Is CLE exempted from it? if a municipality wanted its own rules is it able to do so?
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