(City of Red Deer)

By Alessia Proietti

Returning March 15

E-scooters become permanent transportation option in Red Deer

Feb 6, 2024 | 1:52 PM

After a two-year pilot program, Red Deer city council approved E-scooters as a permanent transportation option, with the 2024 season beginning on March 15.

Council made the decision at their meeting on Monday, with no further changes proposed for the program.

The three season E-Scooter pilot program began in July 2021 and ended in October 2023.

City officials say the benefits to allowing E-scooter companies to operate in Red Deer include alignment with City strategies such as the Multimodal Transportation Plan and all three focus areas of the current Strategic Plan, which are Thriving City, Community Health and Wellbeing, and Engaged and Connected City.

“The economic benefit of E-scooters has been quite pronounced since the pilot. You get additional trips downtown, additional shipping, additional spending, all those good things,” said Mayor Ken Johnston.

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In 2023, 100,909 rides were taken on E-scooters, the average distance traveled per ride was 3.35 km, and the average ride time was 18.2 minutes.

In the first year of the program, there was no cap to the number of E-scooters or companies that could enter the pilot to allow for free enterprise and for the market to determine the demand, the city says. Six companies entered the pilot: Neuron, Bird, Spin, Lyft, Roll and Lime.

In the second year, administration conducted surveys and made changes to the age limit by reducing it to 16 years of age and strongly encouraged the use of helmets but did not make them mandatory. This was followed by additional insurance requirements for the companies to minimize risks for The City.

READ: E-scooter minimum rider age now 16

For the final season, Neuron and Bird were the only two to participate and indicated they intend to resume operations in Red Deer if the program continues.

Survey results for three seasons of E-scooter pilot program in Red Deer. Total rides numbers decreased in part due to less companies available per year and, therefore, less scooters. (Red Deer City Council February 5 agenda, p. 27)

The City says they saw most rides taking place in the downtown for the first season, growing to more residential areas and well-known parks and trail areas for the last two seasons.

While initial concerns at launch were parking, the quantity of E-Scooters, and driver etiquette, the City says complaints have decreased over the seasons, with primary concerns remaining at speeds, sharing of trails, parking, driving under the influence, and multiple riders on one E-scooter.

City Manager Tara Lodewyk said the city does not make any additional revenues by having E-scooters in the city besides their regular business license at $123 per year.

City officials say the one area that needs more advocating to the province regards privately owned E-Scooters, which are currently illegal to ride on public property in Alberta and must be only driven on privately owned lands. Speeds cannot be governed for private E-scooters and the province does not have checks and balances in place to ensure they follow bylaw regulations.

Learn more at reddeer.ca/escooters.

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