We went crazy over push scooters as a child that we cried to our parents to annoying them to buy us one.
To our younger selves prepare to be stoked with electric scooters sharing targeting the adults.
In the age where Uber, ZipCars and other vehicle sharing services are reshaping transportation, electric push scooters as their alternatives are also emerging and becoming quite popular.
Let’s take a look at how this phenomenon works and see how cities are enjoying it.
What is Electric Push Scooter Sharing?
In the year 1948, in Europe, particularly in Zurich Switzerland, a vehicle sharing program was first recorded with a “car share arrangement.” The arrangement spread throughout Europe but eventually died down in years after, only to resurrect and emerged across the U.S.
It was in Portland that an unofficial sharing was recorded. Then we’ve heard of “stationed-based,” where riders pick-up and drop off cars at designated places for other to use.
Now why trace the history of vehicle sharing?
It is only then that we understand how the program works because electric push scooter sharing follows the same principles with a few innovations.
Note: More drop off and pick-up places (a.k.a. Less designated areas).
Vehicle sharing takes advantage of modern technology. With car sharing like ZipCar, you need to apply for membership, then receive a card, which will then be used to unlock cars. You have to locate Zipcar stations where cars are parked, drive them to the nearest station of your destination.
In the similar sense, with electric push scooter sharing, you ride an electric kick scooter instead of a car.
One of the scooter sharing service provider is the Spin. It uses a mobile application, where you register. Once registered, you need to use the app to locate bikes. You can unlock the scooter with a QR Code and a scanner to ride to your stop, where you can park anywhere. Just be sure is not a No-Park zone!
Like Spin and Zipcar, other services also works similarly, which still has the same concept as that from the 40s. But, now with the use of high technology.
Why share?
Transportation sharing as in electric push scooter sharing provides benefits for the users and the general community.
One apparent benefit is the low transportation cost as compared to owning a car. The costs associated with car ownership averages from $700 or more from an AAA study released in the later part of 2017.
While other electric push scooter requires membership fees, it is relatively lesser than owning a car or your own electric scooter. Not to mention, you also have to keep up with the maintenance and other legal requirements as gas, repairs, insurance, and licenses, respectively.
An electric push scooter is a form of alternative transportation such as motorized scooters, bikes, and longboards. It can help reduce the number of cars on our streets, lessening traffic.
Contrary to cars, it also has less environmental impacts because it has zero emissions. It, however, uses energy for power.
What is happening from communities?
San Francisco
One of the most scenic places in the US, scootering around San Francisco allows you to explore and experience a unique combination of urban and nature-filled backgrounds.
One of the most scenic places in the US, scootering around San Francisco allows you to explore and experience a unique combination of urban and nature-filled backgrounds.
However, more than just sightseeing, scooters are also used to commute around the city. It may not be ridden on for the entire trip, but it is useful to get from the last stop of your public transport to your destination.
Enter Spin-- an electric push scooter service banking on a mobile application to serve users has recently entered the San Francisco area.
It is not a child’s kick scooter toy as it can run 15 to 18 miles in one battery charge. So, using it for your last mile towards your destination is no problem.
If you’re coming from San Francisco, it will require you to use the application to unlock scooters, navigate with GPS feature and even and see your ride fare.
Spin’s transportation solution centers on “personal mobility for cities and campuses.” With this service idea foundation, the company has been operating in 18 cities and 30 campuses, with over 30,000 vehicles including scooters.
Santa Monica
A coastal city with sea views, parks, and piers, the city is all about alternative transportation. It has numerous car sharing services like ZipCar, WaiveCar, Waze Carpool and Uber among others. This city also has about 113 miles reserved for biking.
It is no wonder that hype about electric push scooter can also be felt in Santa Monica.
If San Francisco has the Spin, Santa Monica recently got thrilled with the expansion of Bird Rides. With $100m in their pockets, the city gets to enjoy “short-range” electric-powered rides when traveling around.
The Bird Rides is used similarly to like other sharing services. You need to download and register through the mobile application. You can now use the application to locate vacant scooters, reserve and unlock it for you to use. Once you’ve had safety gears on, you can start using the scooter.
Before you end your ride, you need to park it properly in the dock stations. There are service providers that allow non-dock station parking, but you still have to be careful not to place it along the pathways.
Europe
As early as 2015, European cities like Paris, Berlin, Moscow and Brussels are benefiting from electric scooter sharing.
We all know that Europe is an epitome of how the new meets old or how the old coexists with the new. From structures to landscapes, Europe is, of course, a sight to behold.
While motorized scooters are very popular, Samocat introduces a sharing service using mobile application. This service provider offers more than just a ride as it also focuses on making it sustainable transportation with sun energy usage, anti-vandalism features, cloud computing among many other features.
Singapore
Asia got to catch the fever too!
Singapore, one of the cultural melting pot, business hub and a center for financial activities in Asia, welcomes PopScoot.
This rich country has already embraced sharing services like Neuron Mobility and Telepod. But, it still has a room for more.
PopScoot brands itself as a fast, easy and safe electric push scooter service provider. It also uses mobile technology to user their scooters available to about 30 locations. So tourists and locals alike get to “pop” on it to get around town breaking no sweat.