A recent uptick in e-scooter vandalism is causing major headaches for Louisville authorities. As micro-mobility companies work to repair these issues, they urge city police to find those responsible for this deliberate destruction of private property which has taken place summer of 2019.
In response to this safety concern, both Lime and Bird have taken all the affected e-scooters off the streets. Technicians are now making repairs to these vehicles and will re-release them when they are deemed safe.
In addition to pulling unsafe e-scooters off the streets, both Lime and Bird are calling on Louisville police to lead an investigation into this growing problem. There’s been no word yet from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Unfortunately, e-scooter vandalism isn’t an issue unique to Louisville. Over the past few years, many pedestrians around the world have taken out their rage on these e-scooters. Residents in Oakland, California, have even gone so far as to dump e-scooters in Lake Merritt.
E-scooters were first introduced into Louisville on August 9, 2018. Since that time, it’s estimated locals have gone on about 200,000 e-scooter rides.
Currently, the only three companies involved in the city’s e-scooter program include Lime, Bird, and Bolt. The city has also approved Lyft, HOPR, and Jump, but these companies have yet to enter the Louisville marketplace.
For more info on Louisville’s dockless e-scooter program, check out this website put together by Louisville Open Data. You could also read through this webpage on the city’s rules and regulations surrounding dockless devices.
