U.S-based bike sharing company, Lime has recently launched its services in Hampton along with free first ride academy and safety training. The pilot programme is part of a one-year lease arrangement signed in July between Lime and Hampton to lease 250 scooters.
For the uninitiated, Lime is famed for renting out electric scooters and has implemented micro-mobility programs in Arlington, Alexandria, Richmond, Fairfax, Roanoke, and Norfolk.
With its recent agreement, the company will have temporary access to Hampton’s public rights-of-way and other public spaces for renting scooters in Phoebus and downtown.
Hampton will get paid a $5,000 license fee, plus ten cents for every ride, from Lime. The money raised could be utilized to build parking corrals, crosswalk markings, and signage.
The services costs at $3 for a six-minute ride, following which it will be 32 cents per minute. Individuals who receive federal, state, or municipal subsidies are eligible for reduced prices.
These scooters can be accessed using a smartphone having the Lime app, with riders being able to unlock a scooter with a text.
According to Lime, the first ride programs will involve a hands-on sessions that includes use of a safety course and helmet distributions to teach riders standard practices for riding scooters safely while adhering to the city's road regulations.
Lime will educate passengers in the coming days through in-person events, in-app communications, and social media.
To ride a scooter in Hampton, individuals must be 18 years old. The speed limit is 15 miles per hour, while state law allows for a maximum of 20 miles per hour.
The city and Lime will utilize "geofencing" technology to restrict individuals from using the scooters and park in restricted areas.
The company will also be focusing on supporting towns that are in desperate need of safe and cheap transportation and it will provide low-income citizens subsidized trips.
Lime's fleet will be deployed in Hampton in neighborhoods selected by the city, including Coliseum Central, Downtown Hampton, and Phoebus, which have long been underserved by standard public transit options.
Source Credit - https://www.dailypress.com/business/dp-nw-hampton-scooter-academy-20210903-fvzm2vbjaffqhpnf4l6s7bdtxq-story.html