If you’re noticing more scooters whizzing down Sacramento streets, it’s not just your imagination.
Two new companies have deployed a total of 500 e-scooters in the capital city since Jan. 1, bringing the total number of shared scooters and bicycles here to 2,170 as of Feb. 13, according to a city staff report.
Earlier this week, Santa Monica-based Bird launched 250 black and white scooters in Sacramento. That follows 250 bright red scooters San Francisco-based Spin placed on city streets in January.
The additions joined Jump and Lime, which both launched scooters here last year.
Lime pulled their nearly 500 scooters of Sacramento streets in December, citing bad weather, but planned to bring them back, said Jennifer Donlon Wyant, city transportation planning manager. Then in late February, the company told the city they would not bring the scooters back, decreasing the city’s total number of shared bicycles and scooters to about 1,960, Donlon Wyant said. The company also recently pulled their scooters from San Diego and another 11 cities, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
According to Sacramento city code, bikes can be ridden on the sidewalk, while scooters must be ridden in the street.
People who ride or park the devices on the sidewalk could be hit with a $207 city citation. Those who park the devices in a way that blocks sidewalks or curb ramps could be ticketed $27.50.
In December, police started issuing those citations for scooting on sidewalks and had issued 30 as of Feb. 13, the staff report said.
In addition, the city issued 1,400 parking citations and warnings to the companies in December and January, the report said.
The devices are very popular. From June through January, riders took roughly one million trips on e-scooters and e-bicycles, the report said.
That’s resulted in revenue for the city. The city gets 10 cents per trip per device, which it uses to create parking. Staff have so far collected $10,901 in those fees, which it used to install 46 parking spaces, six drop zones and to buy another 30 racks, the report said.
The city requires operators to deploy 20 percent of their fleet to disadvantaged communities, which are mostly scattered across sections of north and south Sacramento
There are likely even more scooters coming to the city. Each company can add 250 more scooters every three months during their first year.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Lime has pulled scooter service from Sacramento.