New in 2020 – Share & Go Parking Zones for e-scooter riders

You're going to be seeing something new on select city streets - e-scooter parking zones. The shared mobility pilot has reached a milestone of one million trips taken by riders using a shared electric bike or electric scooter (e-scooter). With more people using shared e-scooters, we are now testing ways to mitigate public safety concerns while still offering mobility options for Calgarians. Something new you will notice this year are painted parking areas intended to be used as a go-to place to find an e-scooter or to end your ride. These areas are called Share & Go Parking zones.

“We decide to make some changes to the pilot this year based on feedback from Calgarians to see if we can address some of the concerns we heard around improper parking. As a result, we’re introducing Share & Go Parking zones, where riders can park e-scooters in areas that do not inhibit others using the sidewalk,” says Jacquelyn Oriold, Transportation Safety Education Specialist.

Locations of the parking zones

The e-scooter parking zones are painted in select Car2Go parking stalls (photo below left) and on some areas of the sidewalk (photo below right) in the downtown and neighbouring communities. The cost to install the new zones was funded by the permit fees paid by the e-scooter companies; the zones were painted without removing any public parking spots.

“To decide on the best locations for the Share & Go parking zones, we looked at patterns in the ride data from 2019 and collaborated with the Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) focusing on locations that have high e-scooter usage. Then, a local paint company was hired to paint the areas. The zones will be monitored throughout the rest of the shared e-scooter pilot to see if they help to reduce e-scooter parking complaints,” says Jacquelyn.

You can view a list of the e-scooter parking locations here​ and a map is coming soon.

How to park a shared e-scooter in the zones

This short video shows how easy it is to park your shared e-scooter in the new zones. When accessing the zones, please remember to maintain your physical distancing from others to ensure we continue to remain safe while enjoying riding an e-scooter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtlysh7FO0k&feature=youtu.be

Why park the shared e-scooter in the new zones?

“It’s important that e-scooter riders remember that they share the sidewalks with many other users. By parking the shared e-scooter in the Share & Go Parking Zones, you help reduce the chances that the e-scooter will block other people using the sidewalk,” says Jacquelyn.

If there is no zone available, shared e-scooters can always be parked upright in the furniture zone of the sidewalk (see photo right). If you see an e-scooter parked improperly, please contact 311 or the e-scooter operator (Lime, Bird and Roll) directly. The contact information for the e-scooter company:

For more information about the Share & Go Parking zones, please visit calgary.ca/scootershare.

Calgary’s shared e-scooter and e-bike pilot by numbers:

Number of permitted operators: 3 (Bird Canada, Lime and Roll)

Number of e-scooters approved for operation in phase two: 2,500

Number of trips recorded since start of the pilot 2018: 1,000,000 rides

Number of kilometers travelled: 1.9 million

Average trip length: 1.8 kilometers

Median trip duration: 10 minutes