SAN FRANCISCO—The city of San Francisco has granted access for the use of electronic scooters throughout the region.

Starting October 15, people will be able to ride JUMP, Lime, Scoot and Spin provided scooters. 

“Over the last year, this program permitted two operators and up to 2,100 scooters for shared use, mostly in the eastern parts of the city. The new round of permits will be issued to four operators and up to 4,000 scooters, with more than double the service area, along with a list of new terms and conditions based on lessons learned,” said the SFMTA in a blog on its website on Wednesday, September 25.

The Lock-To design helps minimum fleet-size and requirements around distribution and equity engagement. By the end of the initial permit, both scooter-share companies consisted of over 100 percent lock-to fleets. This effectively eliminated most scooter-related parking problems, such as blocking sidewalks. It increased demand for bike rack space. All permittees are required to pay a $75 fee per device to fund bike rack installation. San Francisco will be expanding its bike racks throughout the service area to meet expected demand.

Operators were scored on multiple categories by the SFMTA such as labor plans, pricing and maintenance.

Eleven electronic scooter providers applied for permits, but the SFMTA chose the top four companies that received the highest scores. Lyft and Skip were among the providers that were denied permits. 

Written By Jessica Stopper and Casey Jacobs