E-Scooter Pilot Program, Portland, Oregon, 2019

Following a four month “Shared E-Scooter Pilot” and the subsequent 2018 E-Scooter Findings Report, both of which are linked to below, the City of Portland launched the “E-Scooter Yearlong Pilot” on April 26, 2019.

The city remains interested in evaluating if Shared Scooters contribute to the following policy goals, which were updated to the following:

Pilot Objectives. This one-year pilot has the following objectives:

• Increase mode shift from automobiles, including single occupancy vehicle and private for hire;
• Reduce barriers and increase access to Shared Scooters by people with low incomes, people of color, and people with disabilities;
• Increase Permittees’ employment of people with low incomes and people of color; “Low Income” is defined as “‘Low Income’ means an individual who is eligible for the TriMet Low Income Fare, Oregon Trail Card, SNAP: EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) Card, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Free & Reduced Price Lunch, HUD Housing Choice Voucher, LIHEAP (Home Energy Assistance), or qualifies for other social services based on”
• Support safe riding and safe walking conditions, including reducing scooter sidewalk riding and improper parking; and
• Quantify Permittees’ scooter life cycle climate impacts, including scooter acquisition, replacement, and disposal; and attempt to reduce permittee operational vehicle miles traveled from deployment, rebalancing, and charging methods.

Equity

The pilot requires the private operators to submit equity and economic development as stated below. The right of way surcharges shown in the fee schedule also add an incentive

The Applicant has submitted, and PBOT has approved, a User equity plan that includes at a minimum discounted pricing for people on low-incomes, non-smart phone access options, and multiple languages for printed materials. The Applicant should detail any additional efforts to reduce barriers and increase access to Shared Scooters for historically underserved communities, including people with low-incomes, people of color, and people with disabilities;

The Applicant has submitted, and PBOT has approved, an economic opportunity plan for hiring and contracting with individuals from historically underserved communities including people with low-incomes, people of color, and people with disabilities. Applicants should provide details of existing partnerships with workforce development agencies in Portland;

Fee schedule

• Permit application fee: $500.00
• Pilot permit fee: $80.00 per scooter for initial fleet allotment; with $20 per quarter for increased allotment.
• Per-trip surcharge: $0.25 to users
• Right-of-Way Use Surcharge
  Central City Pattern Area $0.20 (invoiced monthly after commencement of operation)
  West Neighborhoods, Inner
  Neighborhoods, River & Industrial
  Pattern Area  $0.10
  (invoiced monthly after commencement of operation)
  East Neighborhoods Pattern Area $0.05 (invoiced monthly after commencement of operation)

Data and Evaluation

The pilot requires the private operators to share the 7 data fields shown below through a mobility data specification (MDS) for both planning and research, and realtime, as follows:

Permittees must provide the City or a City-identified third-party researcher or contractor access to data in accordance with the requirements specified in the City’s mobility data specification published at: https://github.com/CityofPortland/mobility-data-specification.

Permittees must also maintain publicly available APIs in accordance with the requirements specified in the City’s mobility data specification published at https://github.com/CityofPortland/mobility-data-specification/tree/dev/provider#realtime-data.

1. Unique reporter ID
2. Address, intersection, or coordinates (required field)
3. Scooter ID (required field)
4. Permit ID (optional field)
5. Issue type (Required field)
a. Response options should include, at minimum: Parking, maintenance, other
6. Report Description
7. Form submission timestamp (required field)

The attached Shared Electric Scooters Permit Application includes the details of the program.

See the MOD Learning Center entry to read more about the Portland 2018 E-Scooter Findings Report.

Updated May 2019