Shared e-scooters return to Regina for 2024

Shared e-scooters are back on the roads in Regina this week.

The scooters can be rented through two companies, Bird and Neuron. The scooters were introduced last year in both Regina and Saskatoon, following a regulatory change made in 2022 allowing municipalities to decide whether to allow the electric scooters on local streets.

According to Nueron, its riders travelled 165,000 kilometres in Regina last year. The average trip was 2.9 kilometres long and took 17 minutes. The company estimated that use of its scooters eliminated 14 tonnes of carbon dioxide, reduced congestion, and supported the Regina’s sustainability goals. The city agreed that they’re a good option for the environment.

“E-scooters are a great way to get around our city and provide an alternate mode of transportation,” the City of Regina said in a statement. “Adding e-scooters as a transportation option is one way to help the City of Regina achieve its goal of achieving a renewable, net zero City by 2050.”

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There are some rules of the road that users should be aware of. The scooters are limited to a single rider at a time, and only those 16 and older can use them. Helmets are required, and they can only be used on multi-use paths, bike lanes and roads with a speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour or less.

More information on the scooting rules can be found on the city’s website.

“The City is working closely with both vendors and the accessibility community to ensure that the program is safe, reliable and enjoyable for all users,” the city noted.

While the new form of transportation had a largely positive reception in the city last year, there were a few issues as well, with the scooters turning up in odd places like in trees, garbage cans, and even in a creek.