E-scootin’ around: Saskatoon’s pilot project returns this week

E-scooters started rolling through Saskatoon on Monday.

This is the second year of a pilot project that is bringing back the operation of Bird and Neuron scooters.

Isaac Ransom, head of corporate affairs for Neuron Mobility Canada, said riders will be able to find scooters in areas like downtown, River Landing, Broadway and Rotary Park.

Ransom said after the Neuron fleet is dispersed, there will be around 250 of the orange e-scooters throughout the city. A single trip costs 39 cents per minute with a $1.15 fee to unlock the e-scooter.

Additionally, he explained that frequent riders can purchase a monthly pass for $2.99 a month, which waives the unlock fee with 20 per cent off all rides.

650 CKOM reached out to Bird for details on its e-scooters, but didn’t hear back by the time of publication.

Although there is snow in the forecast this week for Saskatoon, Ransom said his company is prepared for that possibility.

“The scooters will be fine in the snow, and will be fine in cold temperatures, (but) if it becomes unsafe, we’ll notify the riders and return the service when it becomes safe for people to ride,” he said, adding the scooters can operate in below-zero temperatures.

This year, Ransom said Neuron is putting an emphasis on safety measures.

According to data from the Saskatchewan Health Authority, from April 1 to Sept. 30 of last year, there were 91 emergency room visits from people with injuries from e-scooters.

“Last year, a lot of riders were getting used to seeing e-scooters around the city,” Ransom said. “We want to remind people this year that when they are using the service, it’s important that they follow the local rules in the city.”

A media release from Neuron outlines some of the following e-scooter rules for Saskatoon:

• Riders must be 16 years old and older
• Helmets are mandatory for all riders
• E-scooters can be ridden on bike lanes, multi-use trails, pathways and streets with a speed of 50 kilometres per hour or lower
• Riding on sidewalks is not permitted
• One rider per e-scooter and no tandem riding. Do not ride with children
• Do not ride under the influence of alcohol or other substances

Riders also must park their scooters in designated areas for the downtown and other high-traffic areas. Additionally, when parking in non-restricted areas, Ransom said it’s important to not impede the sidewalks when parking.

According to a report from the City of Saskatoon, e-scooter providers banned 10 riders from their apps last season, most commonly for repeatedly parking e-scooters incorrectly, and dangerous or egregious riding.

In a presentation to the city’s transportation committee last month, Ransom said 54 per cent of Neuron rides last season replaced a car trip with an estimated 24 tonnes of CO2 emissions averted.

A survey from Neuron riders also revealed in the presentation that 58 per cent of trips resulted in a purchase from a direct local business, with an average of $58 spent.

“We believe there’s approximately $7.3 million in local economic spending generated as a result of the program,” Ransom said.

The city’s report on the pilot project revealed that last year, between both Bird and Neuron, 114,317 trips were taken with a total of  311,036 kilometres.

“We have a year ahead of us to continue on the current pilot program, and we’re going to be working to achieve the same success as last year,” Ransom said.