By Jonathan Smith
Better get used to seeing motorized scooters around town. More could be coming.
The Culver City Council signed off on an interim agreement that would allow scooter-sharing company Bird to operate within city limits. The decision was made during a council meeting earlier this month.
Bird uses an app similar to other ride-sharing companies, like Uber and Lyft, but riders get to rent an electric scooter to get around. The agreement allows Bird to deploy up to 200 scooters in the city to start off.
The council also authorized the city to negotiate an agreement with competitor Lime to operate a similar business in the city. The interim agreement would be in place until the city creates an ordinance governing the popular rideshare businesses.
How does the scooting-sharing app work?
To use the service, a customer must provide a valid driver’s license that shows the user is at least 18 years old, said Bird spokesman Tim Harter at a previous meeting.
A customer can rent a scooter for $1, and then they must pay 15 cents per minute until the user is finished with the scooter.
Similar programs operate in surrounding cities, including Santa Monica. However, there’s been some pushback. West Hollywood recently voted to ban motorized scooter companies from operating in the city.
According to existing law, scooters are banned from using on sidewalks and on streets with a speed limit greater than 25 miles per hour, unless there are designated bike lanes, according to staff reports.