When life gives you lime — make it LIME Micromobility!
Hoboken with its highest transit ridership score[1] is set on a refreshing path to provide its residents with an enhanced transit privilege. The city, with Lime micromobility, intends to steer the residents to a newer transportation mode of e-scooters.
In a survey of 7000 people, 50% had a positive opinion of e-scooters[2], and a determinant for it was its affordability w.r.t a traditional motor vehicle, which seems logical given that people with lower incomes are likely to be interested[2]. Hoboken transportation system is relatively cheaper than other cities, with certain modes running as low as $1[3]. However, with the addition of e-scooters, the residents now have access to a green transportation option. Lime scooter estimates to generate 35¢ fee from each ride to the government that can be utilized in upgrading transportation infrastructure throughout the city.[4]
Legality issues, conflicting critic opinions, yet e-scooters have managed to breathe a popular lifeline. Cities should have bike lanes that separate the biking area with pedestrians and the main roads. Prospectively, the authorities need to issue a concrete and clear regularization of rules for e-scooter usage. NYC up until 2019 considered the use of e-scooters illegal, however, now is prospectively legalizing its use.
Bar the monetary benefits, e-scooters bring another set of advantages onto the table — No carbon emissions, accessibility to faster transport, and safety. Annually, 18 gallons of fuel is wasted by motor vehicles which can be significantly avoided by e-scooter utilization[5]. With increasing levels of pollution, intricate gridlock streets, and private ownership, micro-mobility could be one reliable solution.
[1] https://www.forbes.com/pictures/mdg45ejkh/hoboken-n-j/#253ce7d813c4
[2] https://www.wired.com/story/electric-scooter-share-demographics-report-study-populus/
[3]http://archive.hobokennj.gov/departments/transportation-parking/transit-in-hoboken/
[4]https://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/hoboken-e-scooter-vendors-agree-new-fee-name-safety
[5]https://www.forbes.com/sites/adeyemiajao/2019/02/01/everything-you-want-to-know-about-scooters-and-micro-mobility/#414513c55de6
