Politics & Government
About 1.3 Million Car Trips Replaced By Scooters, Bikes: Report
Nearly half of rides using shared mobility devices from Oct. 2018 to Sept. 2019 replaced trips that would have otherwise been made by car.
SANTA MONICA, CA — Nearly half of the 2.7 million trips using shared mobility devices, such as electric scooters and bikes, that riders took in Santa Monica from October 2018 to September 2019 replaced trips that otherwise would have been made by car, according to a new report released by the City of Santa Monica.
The report was released two months before the pilot program's end date in January 2020. The pilot program, which launched last September, permits Bird, Lime, Lyft and Jump (owned by Uber), to have a certain number of devices in Santa Monica as long as data is shared with the city, the companies maintain safe fleets and respond quickly to community complaints.
A total of 2,673,819 rides were taken from Oct. 2018 through Sept. 2019, the report said. The average trip time was 14 minutes, with an average length of 1.3 miles. People used the devices most often for short work-related trips, recreation, eating out, getting to and from home, and shopping, the report said. Of the 4,260 riders surveyed, 35 percent were Santa Monica residents, 44 percent were residents of other areas in the county, and 21 percent were out-of-county visitors.
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City Council will discuss the 60-page report on the pilot program Tuesday.
"A lot of progress was made during the Pilot Program, and many operational areas improved with diligent efforts by City and company staff. Shared micro-mobility devices served millions of trips, half of which would have otherwise been taken in a car," the report said. "The devices helped people get to destinations all over Santa Monica for work, recreation, dining, and shopping. Yet, delivery of public outcomes such as equity, affordability, sustainability and reliability still need improvement."
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As the city takes next steps, the report said Santa Monica should consider strategies that address some challenges, such as: public right-of-way management, rider behavior, equity and access, device design and maintenance, effective management and managing volatility.
Read more from the report on the City of Santa Monica website.
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