Electric scooters join DC’s dockless options

Bicycles aren’t the only two-wheeled vehicles available for sharing in the District.

Electric scooters are joining the mix of mobility options available in D.C.’s dockless pilot.

On Tuesday, existing dockless bikeshare participant LimeBike is rolling out electric scooters. The Lime-S scooters can be unlocked via app for one dollar, and cost 15 cents a minute to ride. The launch also includes a partnership with Georgetown University to make the company’s scooters and bikes available on campus.

“With the launch of Lime-S, we are expanding the range of affordable, space-efficient, and environmentally friendly mobility options available to D.C. residents of all eight wards,” LimeBike DC General Manager Jason Starr said in a statement.

more scooters. this from @limebike pic.twitter.com/9WJXs8XxJu

— sharrowsDC (@sharrowsDC) March 11, 2018

The e-scooters began appearing late last month, when Waybots wheeled into D.C., as WAMU reported. Waybots has the same price structure, and allows the scooters to be unlocked by scanning it with an app. The scooters don’t have to be locked when a ride is complete.

Another entry that could arrive is from Bird, a California-based company that recently raised $100 million and plans to expand to 50 cities.

The e-scooters join five dockless bikeshare companies that entered the District last year. The dockless companies are currently operating under a pilot, with the District Department of Transportation collecting data about the car-free transportation.