Three companies — Bird, LimeBikes, and Spin — already launched e-scooters in the city earlier this year. That leaves two more spots for additional companies looking to cash in on the scooter trend.
Who’s next?
Lyft May Be Launching Its Own Fleet of E-Scooters in SF Soon
Because we need more electric scooters in SF.
The ride-hailing company Lyft is looking into launching its own fleet of electric scooters in San Francisco, The Information reported.
This is not a big surprise. No one wants to be left out of the e-scooter game it seems.
Lyft has reportedly been in talks with San Francisco city officials to discuss applying for a permit, and has drafted some prototypes of scooter designs. A Lyft spokesperson declined to comment.
San Francisco is laying down the law on scooters. Companies that want to run a service will soon need a permit and abide by some conditions: they’ll need to prove they’re reminding users to wear helmets and travel on the roads, and teaching riders how to park the scooters without littering sidewalks. Transit officials will grant up to five one-year permits — companies can have 1,250 scooters in total on San Francisco’s streets, and up to 2,500 in the back half of the trial program. The city is opening the application process this week.
Lyft might not be the only major ridesharing company joining the scooter gang, though. Uber-owned bikesharing service Jump is considering a push into scooters as well.
