Dockless Bikeshare Regulations Search for Balance

The Dallas Department of Transportation is putting together a plan to regulate dockless bikeshare, reporting recently to the City Council's Mobility Solutions, Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee recently.

"Staff recommendations include issuing annual permits to each operator for a fee, providing bike parking guidelines, providing parking violation guidance and requiring operators to share business data with the city," reports Katie Pyzyk.

Dockless bikeshare has created controversy in Dallas, as in other cities. According to Pyzyk, the Dallas City Manager chastised dockless bikeshare operators for "clutter."

Robert Wilonsky also reports on the potential for the City Council to adopt new regulations. According to Wilonsky, the councilmembers on the committee seem set against adopting a proposed fee structure, which he says would likely run the dockless bikeshare companies out of the city.

"The mobility committee has never signaled any interest in pricing the bike-share companies out of the market. At most, its members wanted to recoup the cost of keeping the sidewalks clear, fishing bikes out of the Trinity River and White Rock Lake, and letting the companies use the right of way," writes Wilonsky.