The Oakland Department of Transportation and shared-mobility service provider Lime launched the first-ever e-scooter pilot program for riders with disabilities earlier in January, Bay City News reports.
Oakland officials said the pilot program features an e-scooter intended for riders who are not comfortable or unable to stand for a long time or have limited capacity for walking.
They said the program will make it easier for Oakland residents with disabilities to travel and commute to work and home.
“I helped found Oakland’s first-ever Department of Transportation because our community deserves dedicated leadership and innovation making our city safer and easier to travel — for every single Oaklander,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement.
Schaaf said, “Tens of thousands of Oaklanders manage disabilities every day. This program is an exciting step forward in our work to better serve them, expanding access to new shared mobility options that make getting from Point A to Point B that much more affordable or convenient.”Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan said, “I am pleased we were able to write and pass a law in Oakland to allow scooters, with responsible regulations to serve the needs of our community.”
Kaplan said, “We don’t have to choose between a ban and chaos – we can have a permitted scooter system and include regulations to prevent negative impacts and ensure public access.”
Department of Transportation Director Ryan Russo said his department “will closely monitor this program to help ensure it meets the needs of our community and succeeds and grows over time.”
