Not too long ago, Sacramento was one of the most popular cities in the world in terms of shared rideables such as e-bikes and e-scooters.
Then the pandemic hit, and the companies pulled their vehicles off city streets.
But shared-rideables are now making a return, said Transportation Planning Manager Jennifer Donlon Wyant. The City of Sacramento has been working with companies on a reintroduction of e-bikes and e-scooters, with a phased-in approach and new required sanitation protocols.
Bird and Spin launched a return of their e-scooters on June 22, Donlon Wyant said. Each operator can phase in 250 vehicles per week. Other operators are expected to bring their devices back in the coming weeks as well.
“Like with so many other aspects of everyday life before COVID-19, people were disappointed to see scooters and bikes pulled off the streets,” Donlon Wyant said. “We’re excited to see people utilize shared-rideables and enjoy this type of transportation again.”
Permitted operators in the City of Sacramento are now required to enhance sanitation and disinfecting protocols including requiring all employees to wear personal protective equipment when handling devices and sanitizing equipment multiple times a day.
Riders of these devices are also encouraged to be proactive in protecting themselves by doing the following:
- Use disinfecting wipes to wipe high touch surfaces such as handlebars, brakes, throttle and/or locking cables before and after each ride.
- Wash hands before and after each ride. If a rider is not able to immediately wash their hands, hand sanitizer can be used until a rider can wash their hands with soap and water. Gloves can also be worn as an additional safety measure.
- Wear a cloth mask when in public or when riding devices.
- Maintain at least six feet of distance between themselves and others.
Riders are also reminded to always park devices on bike racks or city designated drop zones. Also, sidewalk riding is illegal. Users must ride in bike lanes.