What is an electric scooter?
Electric scooters, also known as e-scooters, have handlebars and a floorboard or seat and may be powered by electric and/or human power. The citywide speed limit for e-scooters is 15 MPH. New Yorkers must be 16 years or older to ride a privately owned e-scooter. To use a shared e-scooter, New Yorkers must be 18 or older.
For differences between e-mobility devices, please see this chart (PDF).
Where are e-scooters permitted to ride?
E-scooters should be operated and treated in the same way as bicycles. E-scooter users are permitted to ride in bike lanes and on streets with speed limits no greater than 30 MPH. E-scooter users may not ride on the sidewalk and must obey all local traffic laws. For more information, please check out the rules of the road (PDF).
Do you need to wear a helmet when riding an e-scooter?
Riders who are 16 or 17 years old must wear a helmet when riding an e-scooter. However, all riders are encouraged to wear a helmet, regardless of age.
What is an electric scooter?
Electric scooters, also known as e-scooters, have handlebars and a floorboard or seat and may be powered by electric and/or human power. The citywide speed limit for e-scooters is 15 MPH. New Yorkers must be 16 years or older to ride a privately owned e-scooter. To use a shared e-scooter, New Yorkers must be 18 or older.
For differences between e-mobility devices, please see this chart (PDF).
Where are e-scooters permitted to ride?
E-scooters should be operated and treated in the same way as bicycles. E-scooter users are permitted to ride in bike lanes and on streets with speed limits no greater than 30 MPH. E-scooter users may not ride on the sidewalk and must obey all local traffic laws. For more information, please check out the rules of the road (PDF).
Do you need to wear a helmet when riding an e-scooter?
Riders who are 16 or 17 years old must wear a helmet when riding an e-scooter. However, all riders are encouraged to wear a helmet, regardless of age.
What are shared e-scooters?
Shared e-scooter systems have become popular in many American cities over the past few years, allowing millions to rent publicly accessible e-scooters for short trips. These systems operate similarly to dockless bike share. Riders find and un-lock shared e-scooters within a designated service area using a smartphone app.
What is the shared e-scooter pilot?
In 2020, the New York City Council passed Local Law 74 (PDF), mandating that the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) conduct a pilot for a shared e-scooter system in New York City. The law specifies that the pilot will not occur in Manhattan and will prioritize areas underserved by Citi Bike. NYC DOT will evaluate shared e-scooters as a viable transportation option in New York City and monitor scooter operators’ ability to provide safe, affordable, and well-maintained transportation options for New Yorkers. The pilot started in August 2021 and is expected to conclude in August 2023.
Where will the pilot be located?
The pilot serves Eastern Bronx neighborhoods from Eastchester and Co-Op City to Throggs Neck and Soundview, an 18-square mile area home to 570,000 residents and several major employment centers, as well as Jacobi and Montefiore Hospitals and the Soundview Ferry terminal.
Please view this map for a more detailed look at the shared e-scooter pilot area.
What are shared e-scooters?
Shared e-scooter systems have become popular in many American cities over the past few years, allowing millions to rent publicly accessible e-scooters for short trips. These systems operate similarly to dockless bike share. Riders find and un-lock shared e-scooters within a designated service area using a smartphone app.
What is the shared e-scooter pilot?
In 2020, the New York City Council passed Local Law 74 (PDF), mandating that the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) conduct a pilot for a shared e-scooter system in New York City. The law specifies that the pilot will not occur in Manhattan and will prioritize areas underserved by Citi Bike. NYC DOT will evaluate shared e-scooters as a viable transportation option in New York City and monitor scooter operators’ ability to provide safe, affordable, and well-maintained transportation options for New Yorkers. The pilot started in August 2021 and is expected to conclude in August 2023.
Where will the pilot be located?
The pilot serves Eastern Bronx neighborhoods from Eastchester and Co-Op City to Throggs Neck and Soundview, an 18-square mile area home to 570,000 residents and several major employment centers, as well as Jacobi and Montefiore Hospitals and the Soundview Ferry terminal.
Please view this map for a more detailed look at the shared e-scooter pilot area.
What companies are participating in the pilot?
How were these companies chosen?
In late 2020, NYC DOT released a Request for Expressions of Interest (PDF) for a dockless shared e-scooter pilot. Companies were evaluated based on experience, safety, operations, accessibility, equity and outreach, and consumer and labor policies. NYC DOT announced in April 2021 that Bird, Lime, and Veo would be participating in the pilot.
How much does it cost to ride a shared e-scooter?
All participating shared e-scooter companies offer similar pay-as-you-ride pricing. Users typically pay $1 to unlock an e-scooter and either $0.38 (Lime) or $0.39 (Bird, Veo) per minute of use.
All participating shared e-scooter companies offer discounted pricing for low-income New Yorkers, including NYCHA residents and SNAP recipients. Participating in these programs greatly reduces the cost of using an e-scooter. For more information, please visit the links below:
Will shared e-scooter companies be limited to certain neighborhoods?
No. All three companies are allowed to operate across the entire service area.
How many shared e-scooters will be available as a part of this pilot?
Each shared e-scooter company is allowed up to 2,000 e-scooters in the service area for a total of 6,000 shared e-scooters.
What companies are participating in the pilot?
How were these companies chosen?
In late 2020, NYC DOT released a Request for Expressions of Interest (PDF) for a dockless shared e-scooter pilot. Companies were evaluated based on experience, safety, operations, accessibility, equity and outreach, and consumer and labor policies. NYC DOT announced in April 2021 that Bird, Lime, and Veo would be participating in the pilot.
How much does it cost to ride a shared e-scooter?
All participating shared e-scooter companies offer similar pay-as-you-ride pricing. Users typically pay $1 to unlock an e-scooter and either $0.38 (Lime) or $0.39 (Bird, Veo) per minute of use.
All participating shared e-scooter companies offer discounted pricing for low-income New Yorkers, including NYCHA residents and SNAP recipients. Participating in these programs greatly reduces the cost of using an e-scooter. For more information, please visit the links below:
Will shared e-scooter companies be limited to certain neighborhoods?
No. All three companies are allowed to operate across the entire service area.
How many shared e-scooters will be available as a part of this pilot?
Each shared e-scooter company is allowed up to 2,000 e-scooters in the service area for a total of 6,000 shared e-scooters.
Where are shared e-scooters allowed to park?
Parking rules for shared e-scooters vary based on location within the service area. There are two types of parking; free floating parking and mandatory corral zones.
Please check out our live map in our "Presentations & Maps" tab or this map (PDF) for more information.
What is “free floating” parking and where is it located?
For the vast majority of the service area, shared e-scooter users can park their shared e-scooter in the furniture zone of the sidewalk. The furniture zone of a sidewalk is the area at the edge of the sidewalk, adjacent to the roadbed, is where the public typically finds street furniture such as Muni Meters, benches, bus stops, tree pits, and parking signs are located. When parking in the furniture zone, users must not:
- block the pedestrian path of travel, including pedestrian ramps
- block curb cuts or driveways
- park on private property or the roadbed
What are “mandatory corral zones” and where are they located?
“Mandatory corral zones” are areas within the service area where users must park their shared e-scooter in a designated parking corral in order to end their trip. Parking corrals are painted boxes located on the sidewalk or in the roadbed. “Mandatory corral zones” help minimize sidewalk clutter on busy corridors. Corrals are located along White Plains Road, Bronx Boulevard, East Tremont Avenue, Westchester Avenue and in Westchester Square. For more information regarding the locations of corrals, please visit the "Maps & Plans" tab at in the top menu.
Shared e-scooter companies are required to maintain the parking corrals. To report maintenance issues at a shared e-scooter corral, please email scooter.share@dot.nyc.gov.
Will additional “mandatory corral zones” be added during the pilot?
As the pilot progresses, additional parking corrals may be sited and installed. NYC DOT is also accepting feedback on where people would like to see parking corrals. Please visit the "Suggest Scooter Parking" tab in the top menu.
How can I report improperly parked shared e-scooters?
Shared e-scooter companies are required to respond to improperly parked vehicles quickly. Community members can alert shared e-scooter companies of improperly parked shared e-scooters by calling the customer service phone number on the vehicle, using the company’s Community Reporting Tool in the app or on their website, or calling 311.
Please visit the "Contact" section below.
Where are shared e-scooters allowed to park?
Parking rules for shared e-scooters vary based on location within the service area. There are two types of parking; free floating parking and mandatory corral zones.
Please check out our live map in our "Presentations & Maps" tab or this map (PDF) for more information.
What is “free floating” parking and where is it located?
For the vast majority of the service area, shared e-scooter users can park their shared e-scooter in the furniture zone of the sidewalk. The furniture zone of a sidewalk is the area at the edge of the sidewalk, adjacent to the roadbed, is where the public typically finds street furniture such as Muni Meters, benches, bus stops, tree pits, and parking signs are located. When parking in the furniture zone, users must not:
- block the pedestrian path of travel, including pedestrian ramps
- block curb cuts or driveways
- park on private property or the roadbed
What are “mandatory corral zones” and where are they located?
“Mandatory corral zones” are areas within the service area where users must park their shared e-scooter in a designated parking corral in order to end their trip. Parking corrals are painted boxes located on the sidewalk or in the roadbed. “Mandatory corral zones” help minimize sidewalk clutter on busy corridors. Corrals are located along White Plains Road, Bronx Boulevard, East Tremont Avenue, Westchester Avenue and in Westchester Square. For more information regarding the locations of corrals, please visit the "Maps & Plans" tab at in the top menu.
Shared e-scooter companies are required to maintain the parking corrals. To report maintenance issues at a shared e-scooter corral, please email scooter.share@dot.nyc.gov.
Will additional “mandatory corral zones” be added during the pilot?
As the pilot progresses, additional parking corrals may be sited and installed. NYC DOT is also accepting feedback on where people would like to see parking corrals. Please visit the "Suggest Scooter Parking" tab in the top menu.
How can I report improperly parked shared e-scooters?
Shared e-scooter companies are required to respond to improperly parked vehicles quickly. Community members can alert shared e-scooter companies of improperly parked shared e-scooters by calling the customer service phone number on the vehicle, using the company’s Community Reporting Tool in the app or on their website, or calling 311.
Please visit the "Contact" section below.
What safety measures are in place for the shared e-scooter pilot?
Safety for all road users is NYC DOT’s number one priority. Shared e-scooter companies must adhere to several safety requirements that align with New York City’s Vision Zero policy. Safety requirements include:
- New users must complete an in-app safety training and pass a safety quiz
- New users must complete ‘Beginner Mode’ wherein the first 3 trips are a slower speed and cannot occur overnight and darkness
- Companies must establish a helmet giveaway and/or discount program
- Companies must hold at least 4 free, voluntary in-person lessons per month
- Companies must create rider accountability policies to discourage poor rider behavior
- Companies must create policies to prevent account sharing
Will accessible vehicles be available to New Yorkers with disabilities?
At the launch of the shared e-scooter pilot, each company must provide wheelchair accessible vehicles. These vehicles will be available for longer rentals and delivered to a user’s home or picked up at partner organization site. Please contact the e-scooter company directly for more information. Shared e-scooter companies, NYC DOT, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (PDF) will meet regularly to discuss accessibility issues.
Can shared e-scooter companies use contract workers for the pilot?
No, companies are not permitted to use gig workers for any part of the shared e-scooter pilot. All work conducted in relation to the shared e-scooter pilot must be conducted by W-2 employees. No fleet franchise models will be allowed. NYC DOT will encourage companies to hire New York City residents for roles created to support the pilot.
What safety measures are in place for the shared e-scooter pilot?
Safety for all road users is NYC DOT’s number one priority. Shared e-scooter companies must adhere to several safety requirements that align with New York City’s Vision Zero policy. Safety requirements include:
- New users must complete an in-app safety training and pass a safety quiz
- New users must complete ‘Beginner Mode’ wherein the first 3 trips are a slower speed and cannot occur overnight and darkness
- Companies must establish a helmet giveaway and/or discount program
- Companies must hold at least 4 free, voluntary in-person lessons per month
- Companies must create rider accountability policies to discourage poor rider behavior
- Companies must create policies to prevent account sharing
Will accessible vehicles be available to New Yorkers with disabilities?
At the launch of the shared e-scooter pilot, each company must provide wheelchair accessible vehicles. These vehicles will be available for longer rentals and delivered to a user’s home or picked up at partner organization site. Please contact the e-scooter company directly for more information. Shared e-scooter companies, NYC DOT, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (PDF) will meet regularly to discuss accessibility issues.
Can shared e-scooter companies use contract workers for the pilot?
No, companies are not permitted to use gig workers for any part of the shared e-scooter pilot. All work conducted in relation to the shared e-scooter pilot must be conducted by W-2 employees. No fleet franchise models will be allowed. NYC DOT will encourage companies to hire New York City residents for roles created to support the pilot.
For general comments, questions, and concerns regarding the shared e-scooter pilot please contact NYC DOT directly at:
- Email: scooter.share@dot.nyc.gov
- Call: NYC DOT Bronx Borough Commissioner – (212) 748-6680
For specific issues regarding accounts, operations, or improperly parked vehicles, please contact the specific shared e-scooter company directly.
Bird Contact Info
Lime Contact Info
Veo Contact Info
For general comments, questions, and concerns regarding the shared e-scooter pilot please contact NYC DOT directly at:
- Email: scooter.share@dot.nyc.gov
- Call: NYC DOT Bronx Borough Commissioner – (212) 748-6680
For specific issues regarding accounts, operations, or improperly parked vehicles, please contact the specific shared e-scooter company directly.