NEW YORK — The popular Internet sharing program scooter Electric, which currently operates in the Bronx, will now expand to Queens to improve mobility for residents and transit connections in this county, the commissioner of the city’s Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) announced Thursday. , for its acronym in English), Ydanis Rodríguez.
The show is expected to come to Queens in 2024.
Since the pilot plan launched in the East Bronx in August 2021, New Yorkers have logged more than two million trips. DOT will work with shared e-scooter operators to continue to enforce strict safety and accessibility requirements and promote compliance with shared e-scooter parking rules throughout the program area. The three operators that currently provide service in the Bronx, Bird, Lime and I seewill participate in the expansion to eastern Queens.
“Electric scooters and other forms of micromobility will help us build a cleaner, greener transportation system that connects residents with shopping and transit centers,” said Transportation Commissioner Rodriguez. “I’m delighted that our e-scooter sharing program is here to stay and is expanding into eastern Queens. Our pilot program met and exceeded our ambitious goals, and it’s time to make it available in more neighborhoods.”
The Queens program area will include primarily Tier 1 and Tier 2 priority investment zones over approximately 20 square miles, from Flushing and Auburndale in the north to Rochdale Village and Springfield Gardens in the south. The expansion of the program will provide critical connections to major commercial and transportation hubs for approximately 600,000 residents. The exact limits of the program are still being determined based on community feedback.
Last November, NYC DOT released a report finding that the program provided functional and accessible mobility options to historically underserved communities, alleviating reliance on motor vehicles by offering an environmentally friendly mobility option. The service was also found to provide an important connection to transit, providing what is called a “last mile” connection to subway, bus and ferry stations.
New Yorkers who receive or qualify for any federal, state or local assistance program, (eg SNAP, NYCHA, discounted utility bill), are eligible for discounted e-scooter fare sharing. Materials promoting discounted prices are available in multiple languages. As part of the pilot program, all companies must provide scooter wheelchair accessible. As of June 1, 2023, more than 1,200 passengers collectively have nearly 140,000 trips through discounted price services, averaging more than 100 trips per account.
