Recent electric scooter news is defined by tragedy.
Most of the electric scooter news Planetizen has collected over the past month has reflected an ongoing process of discovering, reacting, and beginning to regulate electric scooter rentals—a narrative repeated in cities all over the country as companies like Lime and Bird expand operations to new cities.
In recent weeks, however, the human cost of throwing a new mode into a public realm already engineered with massive risks to public health built into the transportation infrastructure has become evident. Whether reports of fatalities and injuries lead to stricter regulations and limits on operations (i.e., more car-oriented status quo) or a sea change in transportation infrastructure is the question of the day, week, month, year, and beyond.
National News
- Hospital ER reports 161 percent spike in visits involving electric scooters (The Washington Post, Sept. 24)
- Bird’s electric scooters are getting more rugged to handle heavy use (The Verge, Sept. 24)
National Commentary
- E-Scooter Deaths Show Urgent Need for Safer Streets (Streetsblog USA, Sept 24)
Local News
- Man Riding Scooter Dies After Being Hit By SUV In Dupont Circle (DCist, Sept. 21)
- Central Ohioans collect, charge electric scooters overnight as side job with flexible hours (The Columbus Dispatch [paywall], Sept. 25)
- Spin aims to be third scooter company to roll into Detroit (Crain's Detroit Business, Sept. 26)
- Another first for scooters in L.A.: a conviction for scooting under the influence (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 26)
- Traffic halted through Dupont Circle in vigil for man killed on scooter (WTOP, Sept. 27)
Local Commentary
- Are scooters a mobility solution? (Crain's Detroit Business, Sept. 23)
- Scooters aren’t to blame for crashes — car-centric streets are (Greater Greater Washington, Sept. 24)
- How to alleviate Denver’s growing conflict between bikes, scooters, pedestrians and cars (The Denver Post, Sept. 26)
- It’s been __ days since a driver killed someone walking, biking, or scooting in DC (Greater Greater Washington, Sept. 26)
- Kids love e-scooters—why aren’t they allowed to ride them? (Curbed LA, Sept. 27)
Scooter Media Brief: Safety, Security, and Business Models Raise Concerns
Recent news has revealed some cracks in the pavement below the speedy wheels of electric scooter share.
Can the Scooter Business Outlast the Coronavirus?
It's the end of the scooter as we know it.
Survey Says: Fear of Cars Drives Scooter Riders to Sidewalks
An email survey of scooter riders in Salt Lake City would seem to make the case for more robust investment in high-quality active transportation infrastructure.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Understanding Road Diets
An explainer from Momentum highlights the advantages of reducing vehicle lanes in favor of more bike, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure.
New California Law Regulates Warehouse Pollution
A new law tightens building and emissions regulations for large distribution warehouses to mitigate air pollution and traffic in surrounding communities.
Phoenix Announces Opening Date for Light Rail Extension
The South Central extension will connect South Phoenix to downtown and other major hubs starting on June 7.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service