E-Scooters Are Rolling Into Queens

Electric scooters are coming to eastern Queens, according to a surprise announcement from the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) this week. As Gersh Kuntzman explains in Streetsblog NYC, “The out-of-the-blue press release touted the existing Bronx program's success — more than two million trips, 115,470 unique users, very low injuries, many commutes shortened — as evidence that Queens will benefit greatly.”

Micromobility advocates have been calling for expanded scooter and bike share service in more of the city’s boroughs, citing Citi Bike’s massive success and significant ridership on the city’s existing e-scooter fleets.

The press release noted that the expansion will include “will primarily include Tier 1 and Tier 2 priority investment areas over roughly 20 square miles, from Flushing and Auburndale to the north down to Rochdale Village and Springfield Gardens to the south,” but that “Exact program boundaries are still being determined based on community feedback.”

The press release also doesn’t mention the number of scooters that will be deployed in Queens, but the program is open to all three operators from the Bronx—Bird, Lime, and Veo. Service is expected to begin in 2024.