A scooterer rides over the Cherry Creek Trail near Wewatta Street. Dec. 8, 2023.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Lime and Bird’s fleets of dockless bikes and scooters will leave Denver next year as the city brings in a new micromobility operator.
Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure announced an exclusive contract last week with Veo, a micromobility company that launched in 2017 on Purdue University’s campus.
Veo will deploy its scooters and bikes in Denver this spring. Veo currently operates in Washington, New York City and Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the city’s license agreements with Bird and Lime are set to expire in May.
In a press release, DOTI said it’s negotiating a three-year license agreement with Veo, and that people enrolled in programs with Lime and Bird will transfer to Veo in 2026. The negotiations are “likely to last several months,” according to DOTI.
It’s a significant change.
Lime and Bird have offered thousands of scooters and bikes in Denver for years. Lime and Bird first deployed scooter fleets without authorization in 2018, causing an uproar and prompting the city to confiscate hundreds of two-wheelers.
Later, several mobility companies, including Lime and Bird, worked out agreements with the city. Lime and Bird’s agreements were for five years.
“Denver’s micromobility program is one of the most successful and popular in the nation,” said Amy Ford, executive director of DOTI, in a press release. “Our goal is to build on that success with an emphasis on safety for riders and pedestrians, keeping sidewalks clear and organized, and expanding access to micromobility to serve more residents and support the sustainability of our city with convenient, attractive, and affordable transportation options.”
The previous Lime and Bird contracts were non-financial, meaning the city didn’t pay the companies, nor did the companies pay the city. But the agreements required free or subsidized rides for low-income residents and set other rules.
DOTI listed various reasons for choosing Veo, including its “diverse fleet of attractive scooters and bikes with leading safety and accessibility features, its commitment to affordability and its flexible equity program.”
City officials said having a single company would be simpler for riders and the local government.
Lime and Bird have contracts with the city and with RTD to offer various services around Denver, and both companies have different equity programs that allow for low-income or undocumented people to ride the vehicles for free or at a discounted rate. In 2026, the city says it will share information about how people currently enrolled in those programs can transfer over to Veo.
Once the negotiations are done, the Denver City Council will vote on the Veo contract.
Zach Williams, regional head of government relations forLime, said in a statement that the announcement came as a surprise.
“We are Denver’s longest-serving shared micromobility provider, strongly preferred by Denverites and Lime Access riders across the city. Equity in particular has always been at the center of Denver’s shared micromobility program, and we’re proud of the last five years we spent in partnership with the city to build one of the largest access programs in the world. As such we were surprised and disappointed by DOTI’s announcement last week,” he wrote.
Micro-mobility scooters and bikes have been controversial since the beginning.
The micromobility vehicles were deployed en masse to major cities over the last decade, drawing criticism that they were dangerous and unregulated.
Denver has been cracking down on the services lately. In May, Denver City Council unanimously approved a new law to keep riders off city sidewalks and to ensure the scooters aren’t left in random or obstructing places.
Under the new law, the city can fine the companies themselves for riders’ behavior. When city officials find a misplaced scooter, they can simply put the fine on the companies’ tab. The law also will require that riders pass a knowledge test before renting a scooter or e-bike.
Meanwhile, the companies will have to make some changes to their vehicles and infrastructure, including sensors that can detect when a vehicle is operating on the sidewalk. When a scooter is on the sidewalk, the companies will have to take action — for example, by increasing the rider’s bill, slowing the scooter or sounding an alarm.
The new law takes effect summer 2026, and Veo says it will follow the requirements, according to DOTI.
Bird and Lime operate more than 4,200 electric bikes and scooters in Denver.
A 39-year-old man died after being hit by a car while riding an electric scooter in Thornton last week, police said.
The scooter rider, whose identity has not been released publicly, was headed west on West 88th Avenue when he was hit by an eastbound Dodge Caravan turning north onto Lipan Street, according to Thornton police.
The crash happened about 7:45 p.m. Thursday, police said. The intersection lies between Bell Roth Park and Sky Park in southwest Thornton.
Paramedics took the scooter rider to the hospital, where he died from his injuries, according to the department. He will be identified by the Adams County coroner’s office.
The 22-year-old man driving the Dodge Caravan was not injured and remained on scene after the crash, police said.
Additional information about the crash was not available Wednesday.
Anyone who witnessed or has information about the crash is asked to call investigators at 720-977-5069.
ENGLEWOOD — Metro Denver budtender Quentin Ferguson needs Regional Transportation District bus and trains to reach work at an Arvada dispensary from his house, a trip that takes 90 minutes each way “on a good day.”
“It is pretty inconvenient,” Ferguson, 22, said on a recent rainy evening, waiting for a nearly empty train that was eight minutes late.
He’s not complaining, however, because his relatively low income and Medicaid status qualify him for a discounted RTD monthly pass. That lets him save money for a car or an electric bicycle, he said, either of them offering a faster commute.
Then he would no longer have to ride RTD.
His plight reflects a core problem of lagging ridership that RTD directors increasingly run up against as they try to position the transit agency as the smartest way to navigate Denver. Most other U.S. public transit agencies, too, are grappling with a version of this problem.
In Colorado, state-government-driven efforts to concentrate the growing population in high-density, transit-oriented development around bus and train stations — a priority for legislators and Gov. Jared Polis — hinge on having a swift public system that residents ride.
But transit ridership has failed to rebound a year after RTD’s havoc in 2024, when operators disrupted service downtown for a $152 million rail reconstruction followed by a systemwide emergency maintenance blitz to smooth deteriorating tracks that led to trains crawling through 10-mph “slow zones.”
The latest ridership numbers show an overall decline this year, by at least 3.9%, with 40 million fewer riders per year compared with six years ago. And RTD executives’ newly proposed, record $1.3 billion budget for 2026 doesn’t include funds for boosting bus and train frequency to win back riders.
Frustrations intensified last week.
“What is the point of transit-oriented development if it is just development?” said state Rep. Meg Froelich, a Democrat representing Englewood who chairs the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee. “We need reliable transit to have transit-oriented development. We have cities that have invested significant resources into their transit-oriented communities. RTD is not holding up its end of the bargain.”
At a retreat this past summer, a majority of the RTD’s 15 elected board members agreed that boosting ridership is their top priority. Some who reviewed the proposed budget last week questioned the lack of spending on service improvements for riders.
“We’re not moving the needle. Ridership is not going up. It should be going up,” director Karen Benker said in an interview.
“Over the past few years, there’s been a tremendous amount of population growth. There are so many apartment complexes, so much new housing put up all over,” Benker said. “Transit has to be relied on. You just cannot keep building more roads. We’re going to have to find ways to get people to ride public transit.”
Commuting trends blamed
RTD Chief Executive and General Manager Debra Johnson, in emailed responses to questions from The Denver Post, emphasized that “RTD is not unique” among U.S. transit agencies struggling to regain ridership lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson blamed societal shifts.
“Commuting trends have significantly changed over the last five years,” she said. “Return-to-work numbers in the Denver metro area, which accounted for a significant percentage of RTD’s ridership prior to March 2020, remain low as companies and businesses continue to provide flexible in-office schedules for their employees.”
In the future, RTD will be “changing its focus from primarily providing commuter services,” she said, toward “enhancing its bus and services and connections to high-volume events, activity centers, concerts and festivals.”
But agency directors are looking for a more aggressive approach to reversing the decline in ridership. And some are mulling a radical restructuring of routes.
Funded mostly by taxpayers across a 2,345 square-mile area spanning eight counties and 40 municipalities — one of the biggest in the nation — RTD operates 10 rail lines covering 114 miles with 84 stations and 102 bus routes with 9,720 stops.
“We should start from scratch,” said RTD director Chris Nicholson, advocating an overhaul of the “geometry” of all bus routes to align transit better with metro Denver residents’ current mobility patterns.
The key will be increasing frequency.
“We should design the routes how we think would best serve people today, and then we could take that and modify it where absolutely necessary to avoid disruptive differences with our current route map,” he said.
Then, in 2030, directors should appeal to voters for increased funding to improve service — funds that would be substantially controlled by municipalties “to pick where they want the service to go,” he said.
Reversing the RTD ridership decline may take a couple of years, Nicholson said, comparing the decreases this year to customers shunning a restaurant. “If you’re a restaurant and you poison some guests accidentally, you’re gonna lose customers even after you fix the problem.”
The RTD ridership numbers show an overall public transit ridership decrease by 5% when measured over the 12-month period from August 2024 through July 2025, the last month for which staffers have made numbers available, compared with the same period a year ago.
Bus ridership decreased by 2% and light rail by 18% over that period. In a typical month, RTD officials record around 5 million boardings — around 247,000 on weekdays.
The precautionary rail “slow zones” persisted for months as contractors worked on tracks, delaying and diverting trains, leaving transit-dependent workers in a lurch. RTD driver workforce shortages limited deployment of emergency bus shuttles.
This year, RTD ridership systemwide decreased by 3.9% when measured from January through July, compared with that period in 2024. The bus ridership this year has decreased by 2.4%.
On rail lines, the ridership on the relatively popular A Line that runs from Union Station downtown to Denver International Airport was down by 9.7%. The E Line light rail that runs from downtown to the southeastern edge of metro Denver was down by 24%. Rail ridership on the W Line decreased by 18% and on R Line by 15%, agency records show.
The annual RTD ridership has decreased by 38% since 2019, from 105.8 million to 65.2 million in 2024.
A Regional Transportation District light rail train moves through downtown Denver on Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Light rail ‘sickness’ spreading
“The sickness on RTD light rail is spreading to other parts of the RTD system,” said James Flattum, a co-founder of the Greater Denver Transit grassroots rider advocacy group, who also serves on the state’s RTD Accountability Committee. “We’re seeing permanent demand destruction as a consequence of having an unreliable system. This comes from a loss of trust in RTD to get you where you need to go.”
RTD officials have countered critics by pointing out that the light rail’s on-time performance recovered this year to 91% or better. Bus on-time performance still lagged at 83% in July, agency records show.
The officials also pointed to decreased security reports made using an RTD smartphone app after deploying more police officers on buses and trains. The number of reported assaults has decreased — to four in September, compared with 16 in September 2024, records show.
Greater Denver Transit members acknowledged that safety has improved, but question the agency’s assertions based on app usage. “It may be true that the number of security calls went down,” Flattum said, “but maybe the people who otherwise would have made more safety calls are no longer riding RTD.”
RTD staffers developing the 2026 budget have focused on managing debt and maintaining operations spending at current levels. They’ve received forecasts that revenues from taxpayers will increase slightly. It’s unclear whether state and federal funds will be available.
RTD directors and leaders of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, an environmental group, are opposing the rollback of RTD’s planned shift to the cleaner, quieter electric hybrid buses and taking on new debt for that purpose.
Colorado lawmakers will “push on a bunch of different fronts” to prioritize better service to boost ridership, Froelich said.
The legislature in recent years directed funds to help RTD provide free transit for riders under age 20. Buses and trains running at least every 15 minutes would improve both ridership and safety, she said, because more riders would discourage bad behavior and riders wouldn’t have to wait alone at night on often-empty platforms for up to an hour.
“We’re trying to do what we can to get people back onto the transit system,” Froelich said. “They do it in other places, and people here do ride the Bustang (intercity bus system). RTD just seems to lack the nimbleness required to meet the moment.”
Denver Center for the Performing Arts stage hand Chris Grossman walks home after work in downtown Denver on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Riders switch modes
Meanwhile, riders continue to abandon public transit when it doesn’t meet their needs.
For Denver Center for the Performing Arts theater technician Chris Grossman, 35, ditching RTD led to a better quality of life. He had to move from the Virginia Village neighborhood he loved.
Back in 2016, Grossman sold his ailing blue 2003 VW Golf when he moved there in the belief that “RTD light rail was more or less reliable.” He rode nearly every day between the Colorado Station and downtown.
But trains became erratic as maintenance of walls along tracks caused delays. “It just got so bad. I was burning so much money on rideshares that I probably could have bought a car.” Shortly before RTD announced the “slow zones” last summer, he moved to an apartment closer to downtown on Capitol Hill.
He walks or rides scooters to work, faster than taking the bus, he said.
Similarly, Honor Morgan, 25, who came to Denver from the rural Midwest, “grateful for any public transit,” said she had to move from her place east of downtown to be closer to her workplace due to RTD transit trouble.
Buses were late, and one blew by her as she waited. She had to adjust her attire when riding her Colfax Avenue route to Union Station to manage harassment. She faced regular dramas of riders with substance-use problems erupting.
Morgan moved to an apartment near Union Station in March, allowing her to walk to work.
She still hoped to rely on RTD for concerts and nightlife, and to reach DIA for work-related flights at least once a month. But RTD social media posts have alerted her to enough delays on the A Line that she no longer trusts it, she said. To reduce her “anxiety” and minimize the risk of missing her flights, she shells out for rides — even though these often get stuck in traffic.
She and her boyfriend recently tried RTD again, riding a train to the 38th and Blake Station near the Mission Ballroom. They attended “an amazing concert” there, she said, and felt happy as they walked to the station to catch the train home.
A man on the platform collapsed backward, hitting his head. He was bleeding. She called 911. Her boyfriend and other riders gathered. She ran across the street to an apartment building and grabbed paper towels. RTD isn’t really to blame, but “I just wish they had a station platform attendant, or someone. I do not know head-injury first aid,” Morgan said.
The train they’d been waiting for came and went. An ambulance arrived. They got home late, the evening ruined, she said.
“His head cracked open. He had skin flaps hanging off his head. This was stuck in my head, at least for the rest of the night.”
I’ve tested a ton of scooters. Not all of them deserve a spot above, but some are still worth considering. These are a few other good scooters I like, just not as much as the ones above.
MiniMotors USA Dualtron Mini Special for $1,399: The instructions to assemble this scooter are vague, and a few steps aren’t even mentioned in the instruction booklet. (I found the handlebar grip hard to put on—rubbing alcohol is your friend.) This is also the first time I tried the MiniMotors Dualtron app, and honestly, it’s not beginner-friendly. None of the terms and functions are well explained. It’s not a scooter I’d suggest for newcomers, but once you get everything up and running, the riding experience is quite nice. It has a top speed of 35 mph, and while the company claims a 40-mile range, you can expect closer to 25 to 30 miles. It’ll handle slopes just fine, but I do find it weird that despite being fairly hefty (59 pounds), it has a max load capacity of 200 pounds.
Segway P100S for $1,500: This Segway (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is 73 pounds but has a max speed of 24 mph, so it’s a little less intense than the Apollo or Dualtron Mini Special. At that speed, I was able to get 16 miles in with 35 percent left in the tank. If you limit the speed to 20 via the app, you should easily be able to get close to 20 or 25 miles. I just hate the loud turn signal.
Fluidfreeride Fluid Mosquito for $849: If the lightweight Unagi Model One Voyager doesn’t interest you but you still want an ultra-lightweight scooter, then check out the Fluid Mosquito (7/10, WIRED Recommends). At just 29 pounds, it’s one of the lightest scooters in this guide and has a comfy, built-in grab handle for easy toting. It’s fast to fold and is powerful, with a top speed of 24 mph. But shaving down the weight on this nimble scooter does have drawbacks. The suspension is just OK—you’ll feel most of those bumps—and the wheels are narrow. The braking system works fine, but you might encounter some skidding if you make a sudden stop, and the range is lackluster (around 9 miles in my testing, going over the Brooklyn Bridge). There’s also no easy way to change speed modes on the fly; you set it before you ride.
Niu KQi Air for $1,399: I was so excited to test this scooter, but my experience with it over several months is mixed. I still like it, but a few quirks hold it back from being a top pick. The KQi Air has a carbon fiber frame, allowing it to be a mere 26 pounds with a 20-mph top speed. That makes it the lightest scooter I have ever tested. It’s easy to fold and has turn signals, a slick app, and reliable regenerative braking. The range is a bit lackluster—I usually got just under 10 miles on a single charge, but it’s so lightweight that when it died on my way home once, I strapped it to a Citi Bike’s front basket and cycled home (don’t do this!). The ride quality is great, but I had issues with it refusing to connect to my phone until I disconnected the internal power cable in the stem. There’s a theft protection that sounds an alarm and slows down the scooter if someone tries to roll it away, but bizarrely, while you can permanently turn off the alarm, the only way to stop it from braking as you roll it is to turn the scooter on. My initial model also stopped working completely and wouldn’t turn on, so Niu had to send me a second model. Oh, and sometimes, during rides, the scooter slows down and doesn’t hit its top speed until a few minutes later. I suspect there’s some thermal issue causing this. Overall, there’s a lot of promise, but it’s just annoying.
TurboAnt M10 Lite for $290: This is a perfectly fine budget scooter best for folks under 200 pounds. (I wasn’t able to hit its top speed of 16 mph.) The assembly requires a few extra steps (more things to screw in, like the rear mudguard). I was only able to get around 8 miles riding it, but I like that the folding system is quick, the display is bright, and it’s pretty light at 31 pounds. Just don’t take it up any steep hills.
Gotrax Apex for $350: The Apex is 32 pounds and easy to fold up. It has an integrated bell and a digital display that shows your speed and battery life, and it can go up to 15 mph. The Apex is reliable—I’ve gone to coffee shops, remote video shoots with a backpack full of camera gear, and the grocery store—though it’s not the smoothest ride. The 250-watt motor struggles with any slight incline, and slopes drain the battery fast. The battery usually doled out around 9 miles for me. I’m also tall, and I had to constantly outstretch my arms to reach the handlebars. You’ll want to tighten the rear disc brake; it works fine, but I wouldn’t have minded more stopping power.
Gotrax GX2 for $1,499: The GX2 is akin to the Apollo Phantom and Segway P100S in that it’s 76 pounds and packs a lot of power and range. This gunmetal scooter looks a bit like a Transformer and can hit a max speed of 35 mph via the dual 800-watt motors, but I usually rode it at 20 mph. It took me to midtown and back to Brooklyn (a total of 18.4 miles) with some juice left over. I hate carrying it up and down the stairs, because the stem is super thick, making it difficult to grasp. When you’re waiting at a light, the GX2 also switches to Parking mode after a few seconds, so you constantly have to remember to press the mode button to switch it to the driving gear. It’s super annoying, and Gotrax says there’s no way to disable it. I am a little concerned about build quality—the motor makes a noise as if something is brushing against it, and this sound disappears if I lightly press the left brake lever while riding. The latch to keep the stem upright comes down too easily, despite a sliding lock mechanism to keep it in place; Gotrax says it might just be that it’s installed too tightly. If you see any of these issues, I recommend reaching out to Gotrax and going to a local scooter shop to have them take a look.
Navee S65 for $1,099: Navee is a relatively new brand growing its presence in the US, and I had a great time using the S65 (7/10, WIRED Recommends). I was able to regularly complete 16-mile round trips at 20 mph, but that pretty much depleted the battery. It has great acceleration, thanks to its geared hub motor, and it climbs slopes with ease, but this also makes it very loud. The motor’s sound disappears if you’re in a noisy city like New York, but it can make you self-conscious on quiet streets. It’s 53 pounds, so it’s heavier than our top pick despite a similar range, and its customer service is up in the air since it’s so new. Still, I had fun riding it.
Evolv Terra for $1,231: I enjoyed my time with the Evolv Terra (7/10, WIRED Recommends). It’s 53 pounds and thanks to the thin stem, not too annoying to carry. It’s powerful, with the potential to go as fast as 31 miles per hour when you engage both 600-watt motors (check your local speed laws first!). Otherwise, you can cruise along at 20 mph as I did on the second gear speed setting (there are three in total) with the single motor. Range is pretty average, with around two bars left on the meter after 15 miles, so it can potentially last more than 20 miles, especially if you’re conservative with its speeds. The suspension is OK but the solid tires on rougher roads can feel quite bumpy. The fenders also seemed pretty useless to me as, after a wet ride post-rain, my back was covered in specks of dirt kicked up from the rear tire. The stem’s angle was also a little too close to my body, and the lack of a thumb throttle meant my wrist hurt after long rides. You can tweak the angle of the throttle and brakes to improve this though.
Radio Flyer S533 for $599: Honestly, I’m surprised at how well this scooter did in my tests. The folding mechanism is just a latch and a sleeve you pull down to keep the latch from coming undone while you ride. It’s super easy to fold and unfold, and lightweight at 30 pounds. It’s not a commuter scooter by any means—my range hovered under 8 miles on a single charge—and despite exceeding its 220-pound load capacity, I averaged around 14 mph of its 16 mph top speed. It’s a nice little scooter for going to the post office, grocery store, or Cinnabon when my wife asks for a cinnamon roll. However, its price doesn’t match its power and performance; it should be cheaper. It’s also worth noting that the first model the company sent me didn’t turn on and the second model had a deflated front tire. Inflating it was a quick affair and I haven’t had problems since.
Apollo Air Pro (2022) for $899: I have not tested the new 2024 model, but the Apollo Air Pro (2022) was a perfectly fine scooter (6/10, WIRED Review); I just don’t think it’s worth the high price. It goes up to 21 mph, and I was able to ride it for about 13 to 15 miles before it died. You get all the accouterments, like a front light and bell, and there’s app connectivity to tweak settings to your liking. However, the app is required to unlock the Air Pro’s true speed—otherwise, you’re restricted to 12 mph. I’m more miffed at the folding mechanism, which is more work than it should be. It also doesn’t accelerate too fast and, despite its 39-pound weight, is uncomfortable to carry due to its thick stem.
Control is all I want in an electric scooter. OK, that’s a lie, I also want decent range, good power, and a reasonable weight. Being able to control speed, regenerative braking, and how turn signals work—if they’re even available—is not something you find on most escooters. And even if you can access those things, tweaking them isn’t always intuitive. The new Apollo Go changes all of that.
I’ve tested Apollo scooters for a few years now, and the Apollo Go is my favorite yet. It’s speedy, isn’t terribly heavy, has a decent folding system, includes perks like turn signals and a bell, and delivers satisfying range. Best of all, I have easy control over some core features through the companion app.
Good Control
The sleek-looking Apollo Go has a pretty simple setup process once you take it out of the box. Just add some screws to affix the handlebar to the scooter’s stem and you’re good to go. In the box, you get a nice tool kit for handling basic repairs yourself.
It’s worth noting that while Apollo does have service locations across the country, it recently shut down its New York City service center, citing “the current regulatory environment.” There’s still a third-party service partner you can take your scooter to in Manhattan, but you can check this map to see if there’s a location near you. It’s always smart to make sure there’s some kind of ebike or escooter servicing shop in your area before buying one.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Connecting to the app is a snappy affair, and you do need to use the app to unlock the scooter’s top speed for safety reasons. Lo and behold, you can finally customize the speed modes on the Apollo Go. Most escooters have three speed modes you can cycle through, but these speeds are usually fixed. Apollo lets you set a preferred speed for Eco, Comfort, and Sport. Now I no longer have to deal with the speed modes that are too fast or too slow. I’ve set the Comfort mode here to 15 miles per hour, the speed limit for New York City, and I can still switch to Sport mode if I need a boost. (It has a top speed of 28 mph, but you can lower this if you’d like.)
The app also lets you choose how much regenerative braking you want—this feature recharges the battery slightly every time you use the regen brake—as well as the acceleration response to increase the torque. I maxed out both of these. You can choose a max speed for the Go, control how long it takes for Cruise Control to kick in (so you don’t have to keep holding down on the throttle), and even whether the turn signals should turn off automatically after seven blinks or manually by pressing the signal button again. The best part is I don’t have to bother with the app after I’ve done all this initial setup.
Go Go Go
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
The aluminum Apollo Go weighs 46 pounds, which is manageable for me, but might be a smidge too heavy for some people. The good thing is the stem isn’t too thick to comfortably carry, and there’s a grab handle at the end of the deck for two-hand toting. If you will have to carry this scooter up and down more than two flights of stairs regularly, I’d suggest getting a lighter model.
Superpedestrian introduces seated scooters in Venice Beach this week, giving many people with disabilities and older riders a comfortable transportation option
Press Release –
Aug 5, 2022
LOS ANGELES, August 5, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Superpedestrian is introducing its seated e-scooters in Venice Beach this week. Starting today, the micromobility provider will operate seated scooters alongside its conventional stand-up scooters, giving a more diverse range of riders a comfortable way to make last-mile trips.
There’s no additional cost and riders don’t need to pre-book. The seated scooters can be unlocked using the Superpedestrian app, which distinguishes them on its map.
Superpedestrian prioritizes the development of scooters that feel safe and comfortable for all. With autonomous safety features, a longer wheelbase and sturdier construction, Superpedestrian already makes the safest easiest-to-ride standard e-scooter. Now, with this newest seated model, Superpedestrian is taking the lead with vehicles that suit a more diverse range of riders, including people with disabilities, older riders and many novice riders.
“We want to be a company that serves everyone. With our seated scooter, we can open up the benefits of micromobility to a new world of riders,” said Jacob Mandel, Policy Manager at Superpedestrian. “In other cities, our seated scooters have proven very popular, especially for longer trips. We’ve also learned they make for an easier commute without having to pack sneakers.”
The new seated Superpedestrian model features:
An adjustable seat easily raised or lowered (7-inch range) to accommodate riders of varying heights
Special recognition on the Superpedestrian app, so riders can locate a seated scooter nearby
Durable, quality engineering ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride
Superpedestrian is rolling out 50 of the seated scooters in Venice Beach and plans to offer more across Los Angeles in the upcoming months. Even though the company will be staging the seated scooters exclusively in Venice Beach, riders can start their trip in Venice Beach and end their trip anywhere in the Los Angeles service area.
To ride a Superpedestrian scooter, download the Superpedestrian mobile app from your iOS or Android app store. Locate a scooter via the app. Be sure the throttle LED is GREEN, meaning the scooter is available to rent. Scan the scooter’s QR code located on the handlebars via the Superpedestrian app to unlock. Wait for the throttle LED to turn WHITE, indicating the scooter is ready to ride.
About Superpedestrian: Superpedestrian was spun out of MIT in 2013 with the mission to develop the world’s smartest and safest light electric vehicles. In 2020, Superpedestrian debuted the LINK Scooter, heralded as “The Volvo of e-Scooters” for its patented Vehicle Intelligence platform that actively prevents costly mechanical and electrical hazards that beset other e-scooter operators. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Transportation Companies of 2022, Superpedestrian is a world-leader in transportation robotics and human-scale mobility, holding over 40 patents in autonomous failure protection for vehicles, automated maintenance software, fleet optimization, and vehicle context awareness.
New report pulls together government, operator and NGO experts on how to drive sustainability and equity goals by making it easier and less expensive to integrate multimodal trips.
Press Release –
Apr 19, 2022
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 19, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Today, Superpedestrian, the MIT-spinoff engineering firm behind the world’s safest and smartest e-scooters, in partnership with the Cities Today Institute, a peer-to-peer network for urban mobility and innovation leaders, released a report on how e-scooters can better integrate with public transportation systems all over the world. The report brings together government, system operator and NGO experts to identify new and existing solutions like mobility hubs that put different transportation options at the same locations, fare integration across modes to lower trip costs, and equity programs that expand access.
Since 2017, trends have shifted dramatically in how riders use scooters to get to their next destination. While e-scooters were initially a small niche in the transportation market, they have now become an integral part of how millions of people get around. In recent findings, Superpedestrian reported that two-thirds of its e-scooter trips were not related to tourism or recreational use, but for commuting to work, to school and other daily necessities. In Lisbon, 23 percent of Superpedestrian’s e-scooter trips averted a car journey, while in San Diego, that figure is 32 percent.
To increase the use of micromobility to reduce car trips and expand transportation access, the new report examines cities as diverse as Pittsburgh and Madrid for solutions. The report urges cities to consider:
Establishing intermodal transportation hubs, modeled on Move PGH in Pittsburgh, by installing e-scooter parking at important public transit stops, giving riders a wider set of options all in one place.
Integrating micromobility fare systems with public transit fares to lower costs for riders
Improving on-the-ground information and integrated trip planning features to make intermodal trips easier to identify and plan
Expanding equity programs in micromobility, which have the highest rates of public transit integration. Superpedestrian’s LINK-Up and LINK Serv riders, which serve veterans and riders on public assistance, are over 10 times more likely to use scooters to connect to a transit stop than other destinations.
Deploying e-scooters to fill overnight gaps in public transit. Superpedestrian e-scooters are available 24 hours a day in most of its cities. This service is valuable to riders who work night shifts or leave for work early in the morning, guaranteeing that riders always have an option to get to work and return home.
“Micromobility is real transportation. Based on evidence in our cities across the globe, we know that when micromobility and public transit are more seamlessly connected, they offer a more compelling alternative to private car use. At Superpedestrian, we’re looking to deepen that integration to not only increase the use of shared e-scooters, but to increase the accessibility of public transit as well,” said Paul White, Senior Director of Public Affairs at Superpedestrian.
“It’s a great pleasure for CTI to be able to synthesize public and private sector expertise as a tool to make 21st Century Communities work for 21st Century Citizens. Our goal is to integrate affordable and accessible transportation solutions to make cities work better,” said Bob Bennett, Chair of the Cities Today Institute. “The Cities Today Institute is proud to have worked with many of our community members and the Superpedestrian team to look in depth at how cities are implementing e-scooter policy.”
About Superpedestrian: Superpedestrian was spun out of MIT in 2013 with the mission to develop the world’s smartest and safest light electric vehicle fleets. In 2020, Superpedestrian debuted the LINK Scooter, heralded as “The Volvo of e-Scooters” for its patented Vehicle Intelligence platform that actively prevents costly mechanical and electrical hazards that beset other e-scooter operators. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Transportation Companies of 2022, Superpedestrian has become a world-leader in transportation robotics and human-scale mobility, holding over 40 patents in autonomous failure protection for vehicles, automated maintenance software, fleet optimization, and vehicle context awareness.
Transportation technology company that’s making micromobility smarter, safer and more accessible joins the ranks of JetBlue and BYD
Press Release –
Mar 8, 2022
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 8, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Superpedestrian has just been named to Fast Company‘s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022. The distinction comes just weeks after the pioneering transportation robotics company announced a major $125 million fundraise to expand micromobility service, R&D and bring its new Pedestrian Defense safety system to cities across the U.S. and Europe.
This year, Fast Company singled out businesses that are making the biggest impact on their industries and culture as a whole — ultimately thriving in today’s ever-changing world. Superpedestrian ranked #6 in the transportation sector and is the only micromobility company recognized on the prestigious list.
Superpedestrian was chosen for its industry-leading technology, and also its wider impact pushing the entire micromobility sector to become safer and more collaborative with cities. Superpedestrian’s Vehicle Intelligence and safety systems are now getting the attention of major companies across the wider transportation and delivery sectors that recognize them as a tool for safer, more efficient electric vehicle fleet management.
“Patience pays off. We spent nearly nine years developing a unique software platform that addresses the core challenges of electric vehicle fleets. Now, we’re fueling a sea change in safety not only among e-scooter providers but potentially across the entire transportation sector. That’s the kind of innovation we care about at Superpedestrian,” said Assaf Biderman, founder and CEO of Superpedestrian.
Fast Company‘s editors and writers sought out the most groundbreaking businesses across the globe and industries. They also judged nominations received through their application process.
The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company‘s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides both a snapshot and a road map for the future of innovation across the most dynamic sectors of the economy.
“The world’s most innovative companies play an essential role in addressing the most pressing issues facing society, whether they’re fighting climate change by spurring decarbonization efforts, ameliorating the strain on supply chains or helping us reconnect with one another over shared passions,” said Fast Company Deputy Editor David Lidsky.
For the second year in a row, to coincide with the issue launch, Fast Company will host its Most Innovative Companies Summit on April 26-27. The virtual, multiday summit celebrates the Most Innovative Companies in business and provides an early look at major business trends and an inside look at what it takes to innovate in 2022. Fast Company‘sMost Innovative Companies issue (March/April 2022) is available online here, as well as in-app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 15. The hashtag is #FCMostInnovative.
ABOUT SUPERPEDESTRIAN
Superpedestrian was spun out of MIT in 2013 with the mission to develop the world’s smartest and safest light electric vehicle fleets. In 2020, Superpedestrian debuted the LINK Scooter, heralded as “The Volvo of e-Scooters” for its patented Vehicle Intelligence platform that actively prevents costly mechanical and electrical hazards that beset other e-scooter operators. Superpedestrian has become a world leader in transportation robotics and human-scale mobility, holding over 40 patents in autonomous failure protection for vehicles, automated maintenance software, fleet optimization, and vehicle context awareness.
Hi-resolution photos and video of Pedestrian Defense sidewalk-riding prevention in action are available in Superpedestrian’s press kit.
ABOUT FAST COMPANY
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.
Superpedestrian adds cutting-edge capabilities to its Vehicle Intelligence platform, enabling high-precision management of riding and parking to improve safety on city streets
Press Release –
Feb 1, 2022
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., February 1, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Superpedestrian, the pioneering transportation robotics company, today announced its largest-ever funding round, closing $125 million in debt and equity capital. The latest investment comes from Jefferies, Antara Capital, the Sony Innovation Fund by IGV* and FM Capital alongside existing backers like Spark Capital, General Catalyst and Citi via the Citi Impact Fund.
The new funding will be used to expand the LINK shared e-scooter service, boost the company’s advanced R&D programs, and deploy scooters with Superpedestrian’s new Pedestrian Defense safety system in the first 25 cities across the US and Europe during 2022. The AI-based software fuses data from multiple vehicle sensors and integrates them with the scooter’s on-board Vehicle Intelligence to take real-time action on the scooter.
Pedestrian Defense exceeds all other safety platforms in 3 key ways. It can:
More precisely detect vehicle position even in urban canyons where GPS has high inaccuracy
Detect a much wider array of unsafe riding behavior than any competitor, including sidewalk riding, stunt riding, aggressive swerving and “salmoning” against traffic
Intervene automatically to slow or stop a scooter in real time when unsafe behavior like riding on a sidewalk is detected
Following successful field tests of Pedestrian Defense in recent months, the system will now be integrated into Superpedestrian’s technologically advanced LINK e-scooter fleet, which has launched in 57 cities logging tens of millions of miles.
“Over the past 9 years, we have developed a unique software platform that addresses the core challenges of electric vehicle fleets. From predictive-maintenance and repair automation, to fine-grain locationing and curb management, our platform is rich with advanced capabilities that enable safer and more reliable transportation solutions,” said Assaf Biderman, founder and CEO of Superpedestrian. “With this latest funding round, we are boosting our investment in R&D and scaling up our deployments in micromobility and beyond.”
“Superpedestrian brings together best-in class vehicles, an advanced software platform, and efficient fleet operations, enabling them to safely integrate small electric vehicles into crowded city streets,” said Gen Tsuchikawa, Chief Investment Manager for Sony Innovation Fund (SIF) and CEO and Chief Investment Officer for Innovation Growth Ventures (IGV). “With an experienced executive team and strong operations in a variety of markets and geographies around the world, we are pleased to welcome Superpedestrian to IGV’s growing portfolio of promising mobility-focused startups.”
“In the last two years, infrastructure challenges and lack of equitable access to transit options in both urban and suburban communities across the U.S. have underscored the need for developing safe, reliable transportation options for all,” said Meredith Shields, Head of Citi Impact Fund, Citi. “Superpedestrian is doing just that by developing innovative, sustainable technology that reimagines the future of cities through improved connectivity. We’re proud to use our capital to help scale their impact and build stronger communities in the years to come.”
Superpedestrian was spun out of MIT in 2013 with the mission to develop the world’s smartest and safest light electric vehicle fleets. In 2020, Superpedestrian debuted the LINK Scooter, heralded as “The Volvo of e-Scooters” for its patented Vehicle Intelligence platform that actively prevents costly mechanical and electrical hazards that beset other e-scooter operators. Superpedestrian has become a world-leader in transportation robotics and human-scale mobility, holding over 40 patents in autonomous failure protection for vehicles, automated maintenance software, fleet optimization, and vehicle context awareness.
Los Angeles, California, May 16, 2016 (Newswire.com)
– On May 19th, Micro Kickboard invites schools, children, parents, and commuters alike to join them in a day of scooting in celebration of National Scooter Day, whether it’s riding to school instead of driving, commuting to work, or going for a quick cruise around the neighborhood to get some exercise. Micro embraces the ‘green’ lifestyle and encourages riders to scoot instead of drive, when the distances allow, to reduce our carbon footprint and keep the Earth green.
To celebrate this national holiday, the host, Micro Kickboard, is giving away 1000 of its Micro brand helmets. Micro Kickboard values the safety of scooter riders and says wearing helmets while scooting, especially for kids, is the most important scooter safety rule there is!
“The revolution is all about a new level of quality that enables scooters to be used for short commutes of up to a couple miles. The scooters are exceptionally smooth-gliding and comfortable to ride, and they fold up so they can be taken inside at your destination. And, they are more than twice as fast as walking and go places a bicycle can’t – sidewalks for example. A very convenient transportation option.”
Geoff Hawksworth, Director
Micro says that National Scooter Day is a great day to celebrate the revolution that’s been taking place with scooters and kickboards being used as transport as well as fun, by adults and kids alike. Kids ride scooters to school and adults are riding Micro’s boards to the office from the train station. They recently introduced an electric hybrid scooter, the emicro one, that goes reaches speeds of up to 15 mph.
Micro Owners Geoff and Julie Hawksworth say “the revolution is all about a new level of quality that enables scooters to be used for short commutes of up to a couple miles. The scooters are exceptionally smooth-gliding and comfortable to ride, and they fold up so they can be taken inside at your destination. And, they are more than twice as fast as walking and go places a bicycle can’t – sidewalks for example. A very convenient transportation option.”
500 of the Micro helmets will be given away at the Great Big Play day to be held on May 22 in Los Angeles at Griffith Park, sponsored by So-Cal Moms. Micro will give away the children’s helmets to the first 500 people to visit their safety-zone section.
The other 500 helmets will be available at microkickboard.com on May 19th, while supplies last.
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