L.A. City Council Approves Electric Scooter Rules

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved a one-year pilot program to regulate dockless electric scooters, paving the way for the introduction of potentially thousands of the vehicles to the San Fernando Valley. Scooter companies including Bird and Lime will be allowed to operate fleets of up to 3,000 within the city limits. The companies will have the opportunity to activate up to an additional 2,500 scooters in low-income neighborhoods and up to 5,000 more devices in disadvantaged areas in the Valley. The new rules include a 15-mph speed limit and require that scooters be parked on the outer edge of sidewalks near the street. Companies must also print a notice reading, “No riding on sidewalks” on the vehicles. Riding motorized scooters on sidewalks is illegal in the state of California. City Council districts will work directly with scooter companies and the Department of Transportation to introduce scooters into local neighborhoods based on demand.