Similar to any joy ride, Lime‘s go in Denver has been unplanned, short and a little chaotic.
The California based company launched in Denver seemingly overnight during Memorial Day weekend and because of its lack of communication with Denver Public Works (DPW) is now pulling back its operation in the Mile High city… for now. The below statement details Lime’s plan to remove its scooters for the next two weeks in hopes of smoothing over its rocky relationship with DPW (which includes fines and confiscation). The main contention is making sure that the scooters are not parked in the right of way and can be ridden safely and legally. Currently, riding the scooters in bike lanes or roadways and/or parking them in public spaces violates a municipal code. The statement outlines that a partnership hopes to be formed between the two organizations which the city further outlines in its Mobility Action Plan.
“In accordance with the wishes of the Denver Department of Public Works, today Lime will be removing our scooters from Denver for the next two weeks while we work with the City on developing a pilot program for dock-free shared mobility. We apologize to our riders for any inconvenience this may cause. We appreciate the DPW for their efforts, and hope to return to Denver soon. We are eager to continue to serve Denver residents and visitors with Lime as their affordable, sustainable transportation option,” said Lime in a press release.
It’s unclear if Bird, another scooter company that popped up mere days later, will follow suit. But the app seems to hint that it’s going to remove its scooters as there doesn’t appear to be any available. Stay tuned for more on that — and maybe grab one last ride if you can.