Councilmember-at-Large Rebecca Kaplan has co-authored an ordinance with Councilmembers Lynette Gibson McElhaney and Noel Gallo to establish regulations and new permits for dockless bike and scooter sharing programs.

“The proposed ordinance will provide responsible guidelines for scooter and dockless bike companies as they do business in Oakland,” said Kaplan.

Dockless bikes and scooters are being made available by being placed in public locations and can be a benefit to the community and help with health and mobility if done correctly, said Kaplan. However, if done incorrectly, these bicycles and scooters can have negative impacts by blocking wheelchairs and pedestrians, cluttering sidewalks and becoming blight, she said.

“Our proposed requirements deal with a range of problems and potential problems that have occurred—including prohibiting threatening noises, requiring liability insurance, and where they can be deployed,” says Kaplan.

The ordinance also requires local maintenance teams, designated locations for dockless bikes and scooters and discounted membership plan for those who are low-income.

In addition, the ordinance will require dockless bikes and scooter companies distributed equitably throughout Oakland. No less than 50 percent of operator scooters and bikes shall be deployed in Oakland’s Communities of Concern.

“To make sure that we can have good mobility options for everyone in our community, it is important that bike and scooter share systems be properly regulated, provide affordable rates, local jobs and reliable local maintenance teams, and benefit the public. Depending how they are handled, bike and scooter share systems could be a benefit or have negative impacts on our community—so I am urging Oakland to adopt responsible regulations,” said Kaplan.

The proposal can be read at  https://oakland.legistar.com/View