Segways were invented 17 years ago, but the technology feels as if it's been dead for a while. So why are scooters continuing to attract cities and investors?
Brad Stone estimates the electric scooter share business with 10,000 scooters on the roads is making about $100,0000 in revenue every day, with plenty of room to keep growing. While much has been written about dockless scooters clogging up sidewalks, investors seem to think this transit mode has legs. "Meanwhile, both Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. have applied to introduce e-scooters in San Francisco, where the local government is set to authorize a pilot program after temporarily clearing the city of scooters last month," Stone reports.
Stone sees the price point and on-demand model as the key reason this transit mode survives while vehicles like Segways failed in the past. A ride on a Bird or LIme e-scooter costs around $2 for a 6-minute trip, so there's not much to keep curious consumers from trying them out.
FULL STORY: Here’s How Scooter Startups Solved the Segway Problem
There Goes the Neighborhood? The Trickle-Down Effect of High Ride-Hailing Prices
Low-cost Uber and Lyft services helped some neighborhoods thrive, making them more accessible. Now these same neighborhoods are feeling the pinch as high ride-hailing costs push customers to stay closer to home.
Uber and Lyft Ridership Remains Low in Massachusetts
High prices, labor issues, and legal blunders plague the transportation network companies, who are increasingly shifting to deliveries over rides.
Seattle Transit Winning Back Riders Faster Than Ridehailing
Ridehailing companies saw a steep drop in ridership in the city during the pandemic, followed by a slow recovery as their prices increase and demand slows.
The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.
Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations
An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.
‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.
San Francisco Rents Cheaper Now Than in 2020
Though ‘cheap’ is a relative term.
Study: Seattle’s Lower Speed Limits Reduced Crash Injuries
A change in the city’s speed limits has been shown to reduce the likelihood of injuries during collisions.
Millennials Now Majority Homeowners
Just over half of people in the ‘Y’ generation now own homes, but the largest generation also continues to dominate the rental market.
City of Malibu
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Strategic Economics Inc
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
