Update Wednesday, Oct. 10: The pay-as-you-go scooters from a company called Lime that took over Meridian for a few days won’t be back anytime soon. After debuting on September 27th, all of the scooters were pulled from the streets after a request by Meridian city officials on October 2nd. Now, a representative with Lime says a rollout of the conveyances is suspended until March of 2019.
The Idaho Press reports that in the interim, the company will launch an education campaign to show residents how to use the scooters. Lime is staying tight lipped on just how many scooters will go on the road in March.
While Meridian pauses its relationship with Lime, the City of Boise is in talks with the scooter purveyor and a rival. The Statesman reports the city is taking its time as it irons out rules for bike and scooter share companies. Boise Administrative Services Manager Craig Croner says scooters could be on the streets in the capital by the end of the month.
Update Wednesday, Oct. 3: At a Meridian city council meeting Tuesday, the city requested Lime to put the scooters on hold until more discussion can take place about the future of the scooters. Over the weekend, before a hold was put on Lime’s services in Meridian, Lime reduced the number of scooters from 200 to 100.
Original post Friday Sept. 28: The California company Lime has brought their electric scooters to Meridian. Called Lime-S scooters, the devices cost $1 to unlock and 15 cents per minute of riding. But unlike some programs around the country that rely on centralized stations where the scooters are locked to metal racks, these scooters will be dockless.
The scooters will be collected every day to be charged overnight. Meridian is the first city in the state with a program like this, and the contract lasts for two years according to the Idaho Press.
The scooters are equipped with GPS and require riders to have a driver’s license and to wear a helmet.
But according to the Washington Post, Salt Lake City has seen an increase in injuries associated with scooters since a similar program began in June. And last Friday, a 20-year-old man was killed in Washington D.C. after being struck by a car while riding a Lime scooter.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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