Rental Scooters to Make a Comeback on Dallas Streets

Rental scooters could be making a comeback to Dallas streets.

Back in 2020, the city canceled the scooter program over safety and clutter concerns.

But now, city leaders are really moving forward on bringing back a new and improved scooter experience.

Before the rental scooter companies Uber, Lyft and Bird were banned, there was a huge problem with speeding and pedestrians getting hurt. People could also rent the scooters anywhere and leave units anywhere, causing a scene of littered scooters across Dallas.

Two years later, city leaders are trying to bring the program back but with some new, stricter rules.

"I think that we were able to take all of the wrongs that had happened in the past and take all of the best practices from other cities,” said Omar Narvaez, deputy mayor pro tem and member of Dallas city council’s Transportation and Infrastructure committee during a meeting on Tuesday. “Sometimes it's nice to follow versus lead because you take something that is something we need – and we all agree. But at the same time, we maybe let get a little out of hand in Dallas by having zero rules and zero regulations. But now we're moving forward so we have them."

Dallas has established "No Ride Zones" and "Slow Ride Zones", which includes sidewalks and public plazas. Those zones are even geo-fenced, a technology that sets a programmed boundary, so the scooters will slow down or stop once it enters a zone.

There's also a limit on the number of scooters companies can park on each block, along with potential docking stations to prevent littering of scooters.

Now with the new guidelines in place, the city opened a request for proposals, or RFP, during the summer to find companies willing to enter the Dallas market. A scoring committee was convened to review the applications over the last couple of months, consisting of six staff from three departments, including the Department of Transportation, Park and Recreation Department, and Planning and Urban Design Department.

On Tuesday, the city council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee discussed the results of that review of applications, which includes five companies.

Operators were required to participate in an in-person demonstration to show how well their devices and technology could comply with the city’s rules and codes, including but not limited to:

• Slowing to 10 mph before a device enters a geofenced Slow-Ride Zone
• Safely stopping when a device enters a geofenced No-Ride Zone
• Providing a warning to riders when they approach these zones

These demonstrations were held in November on the City Hall Plaza.

The applications were then scored out of 100 total points possible, with the operators ranked from highest scoring to lowest scoring:

1. Superpedestrian: 86 points
2. Bird: 85 points
3. Lime: 85 points
4. Spin: 79 points
5. GBike: 51 points

The city plans to pick three companies for a one year contract. Each will be allowed up to 500 devices to start, with either scooters or even some e-bikes. City leaders said they will be confirming timelines and logistics over the next few weeks.

During Tuesday's meeting, council members applauded the new "three strikes and you're out" rule, which they say can help crack down on companies and people to follow the new rules.

“We need you to follow the rules. We only got into this predicament because of the lack of trust that we lost as a city with the scooter companies, because the scooter companies said they would do one thing and didn’t do it or did the exact opposite of what they told us they would do,” Navarez said.

He also added during Tuesday’s meeting that he is holding the Director of the department of transportation accountable and making sure that the rules are enforced and followed.

“There’s a lot of business owners and a lot of people out there that are nervous and scared about this but let me reassure the general public that 1,500 units to start is very, very small. And I know it’s something that’s very manageable and we’re going to do a really good job with this,” he said. “Every 90 days, staff will get to review and decide what percentage gets to be added in until we get to the right amount.”

Council members also stressed the importance of bringing scooters into neighborhoods that need them for work commutes and that didn't have access the first time around.

"I'm excited to see this is here finally but do want to just highlight the equity factor. I know there were equity zones that were identified. Dixon Circle for instance was one. Fair Park was not. I do want there to be some thoughtfulness by our transportation department and other partners on where our frequented DART stations are and how we can really use these as closing in that last mile for mass transit,” councilman Adam Bazaldua.

He said he believes the city could be a little more aggressive in pushing for the scooters to be accessible out into the neighborhoods that aren't in the Central Business District.

"I know that there's going to be a concentration there, but I think that there needs to be a better effort in trying to allow for access from neighborhoods out to DART stations in certain parts of our city,” Bazaldua said.

As this plan is finalized, the city hasn't said exactly when the e-bikes and scooters will hit the pavement but it could be in a matter of weeks to a few months.