SAN ANTONIO – Less than four months since San Antonio was introduced to thousands of dockless, electric scooters, the City Council has issued a set of rules for riding them in the city.
On Thursday, City Council passed the six-month dockless vehicle pilot program, which not only regulates the use of e-scooters but also serves as an opportunity for the city to learn its impact.
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"These commonsense rules will improve public safety and enable the City to gather data for enhancing connectivity," Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. "We will continue to monitor the implementation of dockless vehicles and ensure that last-mile technology is properly integrated into the transportation system."
RELATED: Proposed regulations on electric scooters: What you need to know
Riders, who must be at least 16 years old under the new ordinance, are asked to utilize bike lanes but if needed, they can use sidewalks and on roads that have a speed limit of 35 mph or less.
The scooters must be parked upright on sidewalks and away from areas such as bus stops or disabled parking zones.
If any regulations are broken after receiving notice, the city can impound e-scooters and the companies -- Bird, Lime and local company Blue Duck -- will have to pay a $50 fee to get each scooter back.
The companies will also be required to pay an annual $500 permit fee, including a $10 per scooter charge. It is mandatory for e-scooter companies to hire a local-based fleet manager to be responsible for the daily operations.
Vendors will have about a week to adjust to the new guidelines, which the ordinance goes into effect Oct. 19.
To learn more about the new regulations under the dockless vehicle pilot program, scroll below.
Information provided by the City of San Antonio