At the April 12, 2023 Board meeting, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) commissioners approved three, one-year license agreements with three operators (Lime, Spin and Veo) to participate in its Shared Bike and Scooter Program. The bikes and scooters will be placed on MPRB property shortly and will be available for rent as soon as possible.
With Nice Ride no longer operating in Minneapolis, their familiar bike docking stations will not be located on park properties. Instead, like scooter riders, shared bike riders will be able to end their trip anywhere in the city. All they need to do is lock their bike to a bike rack or to any signpost except a stop sign or bus stop sign. Scooter and bike riding and parking rules along with examples can be found on the City of Minneapolis’s website.
All three vendors will offer scooter rentals. Lime and Veo will also have e-bike rentals. Lime will have Class 1 e-bikes, which are pedal assist bikes, meaning the motor provides assistance when the bike is actively being pedaled.
Veo will have Class 2 e-bikes. Class 2 e-bikes have both pedal assist and a throttle, similar to scooters. Riders don’t need to be actively pedaling to use these vehicles. This is the first time the City of Minneapolis and the MPRB have had this type of e-bike in its bike share program.
Equity and safety continue to be key focus areas for the program. As part of the City’s equity focused requirements, at least 38% of each operator’s scooters must be distributed in Equity Distribution Areas in north and south Minneapolis and a maximum of 34% of each operator’s scooters are allowed downtown. The remaining 28% are to be distributed in all other neighborhoods. In addition to the scooter distribution requirements, the three operators are required to have low-income pricing programs and participate in other City led pilots, such as a Mobility as a Service pilot to streamline equity program access.
Beyond the scooter distribution requirements, all three operators are required to have low-income pricing programs for qualified residents. Links to each low-income access program and instructions on how to sign up are on the City’s website.
Operators are also required to have ongoing education and outreach on safe riding and proper parking behavior. State law and MPRB Ordinance regulate how scooters can be operated and riders must follow similar traffic laws as bicyclists. Shared bikes and scooters cannot be ridden on sidewalks, however can be ridden on bike paths, and must be parked upright using the kickstand and locked to a municipal signpost or public bike rack, outside of the pedestrian path of travel. Bikes and scooters may not be locked to trees.
Learn more about scooters, including how to rent, ride and park them on the City of Minneapolis website.