The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[AronG]

Lotta interesting tidbits on potential updates to scooter regulations, enforcement, and amenities here: https://communityimpact.com/nashville/southwest-nashville/city-county/2019/05/23/mayor-david-briley-calls-for-30-day-notice-on-scooters-as-metro-nashville-companies-work-to-regulate-usage

Quote

“The biggest issue right now is enforcement,” Elrod said. “If we can deal with improper parking and riding on sidewalks, that would eliminate a lot of problems we face today.”

...

A study that is already underway and due in July by the Metro Transportation Licensing Commission, the department overseeing scooter operations, is expected to detail the overall impact of scooters as well as revenues, costs and proposed legislative changes, and could potentially be a catalyst for addressing these concerns, Elrod said.

...

Derek Hegarty, a transportation engineer with MNPW, presented plans April 23 to the MTLC to transform 12 8-foot-by-12-foot on-street parking spaces downtown into corrals, or designated parking areas, for scooters and bikes. The areas will be located between Union Street and Demonbreun Street and Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue.

...

Seven companies—Bird, Lime, Lyft, Spin, Gotcha, Bolt and Uber-owned Jump—operate a combined fleet of scooters and bikes in the city, according to [MTLC Director] Fields. Bolt is the latest company to be approved by the MTLC, bringing the latest scooter count to 4,150.

...

[Lyft Compliance Manager Melanie] Goggins said at the meeting. “When we operate in a city like Nashville and we’re seeing more than four rides per scooter per day, we understand that is demand that we could only satisfy with more scooters.”

 

[PaulChinetti]

"[Lyft Compliance Manager Melanie] Goggins said at the meeting. “When we operate in a city like Nashville and we’re seeing more than four rides per scooter per day, we understand that is demand that we could only satisfy with more scooters.”"

I wonder how long those 4 trips per day are per scooter, because says it's a half mile/mile or more, that is a ton of cars off the road. 

[LA_TN]

I could be wrong, but I don't believe anyone that rides a scooter would have otherwise gone by car. I see/think that walking was plan A

[markhollin]

Scooters: Who is actually responsible for enforcing the rules?

https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/05/29/electric-scooter-rental-nashville-bird-lime-parking-safety/1260309001/

[smeagolsfree]

To recap the above article in two words, "NO ONE".

[PaulChinetti]

8 hours ago, LA_TN said:

I could be wrong, but I don't believe anyone that rides a scooter would have otherwise gone by car. I see/think that walking was plan A

I would say you are mostly wrong, 90% of the trips I have take are instead of using a Lyft.

[downtownresident]

10 minutes ago, PaulChinetti said:

I would say you are mostly wrong, 90% of the trips I have take are instead of using a Lyft.

Same with me. I usually ride for at least two miles. 

[12Mouth]

9 hours ago, LA_TN said:

 

I could be wrong, but I don't believe anyone that rides a scooter would have otherwise gone by car. I see/think that walking was plan A

 

This suggests otherwise (at least in Portland).

https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/15/18183786/electric-scooter-portland-data-analysis

1 hour ago, markhollin said:

Scooters: Who is actually responsible for enforcing the rules?

https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/05/29/electric-scooter-rental-nashville-bird-lime-parking-safety/1260309001/

I think you can extend this to almost any non-violent crime/violation in Nashville: noise, illegal airbnbs, speeding, running red lights, parking, blocking bike lanes, etc. This city is completely inept at basic enforcement of the small stuff.

[PaulChinetti]

6 minutes ago, 12Mouth said:

This suggests otherwise (at least in Portland).

https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/15/18183786/electric-scooter-portland-data-analysis

I think you can extend this to almost any non-violent crime/violation in Nashville: noise, illegal airbnbs, speeding, running red lights, parking, blocking bike lanes, etc. This city is completely inept at basic enforcement of the small stuff.

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/709688

This map from the Portland study is interesting. Shows lots of trips everywhere. I am not entirely sure what "Hexbins" is. I don't know why it's so hard to see how long the average trip is. Is that something the scooter companies want to keep to themselves?

[AronG]

9 hours ago, LA_TN said:

I could be wrong, but I don't believe anyone that rides a scooter would have otherwise gone by car. I see/think that walking was plan A

I ride them regularly, and 95% of the time they replace lyft or me driving somewhere. The other times I probably would have biked but I was feeling lazy. My house is like a lot of places in Nashville, in that you can walk to about 3 places within 15 minutes, but you can bike/scooter to hundreds of places in that amount of time.

[PaulChinetti]

Color me surprised... Not. 

[subkyle]

21 hours ago, LA_TN said:

I could be wrong, but I don't believe anyone that rides a scooter would have otherwise gone by car. I see/think that walking was plan A

I’m positive it’s a small number but I ride them plenty when I would otherwise drive. I live in hope gardens and take them to dinner and anytime I go hit local bars. I’ve got a lawyer buddy that takes one home from his office occasionally as well.

[smeagolsfree]

This will not help the case to keep the scooters. You might as well say buh bye to them. Disabled Veterans dog hit by scooter riding illegally on sidewalk.

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/disabled-veteran-up-in-arms-after-scooter-rider-injures-his-service-dog

[markhollin]

South Corridor Transportation Summit in Franklin on June 6th:

https://www.williamsonchamber.com/events/transportation-summit/

 

[LA_TN]

Question: What will they think of next?

Answer:

[MLBrumby]

Dude, that's a classic photo for SO MANY REASONS. 

[smeagolsfree]

Clown cars.

[grilled_cheese]

On 5/31/2019 at 9:29 AM, markhollin said:

South Corridor Transportation Summit in Franklin on June 6th:

https://www.williamsonchamber.com/events/transportation-summit/

 

Hey, it's me, from the future, I was able to grab the minutes from this meeting and will post the TLDR below

bUiLd MoRe RoAdS

[markhollin]

Even Butch Spyridon, CEO of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., says the scooters have become a mess:

“We are in full agreement with the Mayor’s letter to the scooter companies," Spyridon said in an emailed statement. "Without guidelines, regulations and enforcement, they are a public danger and an eyesore. We hope the companies will take responsible action, but, if not, scooters don’t belong on the streets, sidewalks, yards and neighborhoods of our city.

More at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/06/04/nashville-tourism-chief-joins-call-electric-scooter-crackdown/1331247001/

[Jamie Hall]

I'm somewhat encouraged by the installation of the new scooter corrals downtown -- seems like a logical first step. The next step should be bike/scooter lane markings and signage.

[titanhog]

13 minutes ago, Jamie Hall said:

I'm somewhat encouraged by the installation of the new scooter corrals downtown -- seems like a logical first step. The next step should be bike/scooter lane markings and signage.

It's the only way this will work longterm.  

1. Designated parking places

2. Designated lanes

3. Law enforcement / ticketing

[PaulChinetti]

3. Law enforcement / ticketing

Would go a long way in this city to make people better drivers of all modes of transportation. 

[nashwatcher]

i HOPE they go in this direction. it's got great potential...now we just need lanes and enforcement!

[smeagolsfree]

They have about two weeks or so to get the problem under control. They only seem to do the corals when there is a special event.

Also the outlying council persons are complaining about the scooters now as they are showing up 15  miles outside the downtown in Bellevue. Sheri Weiner is just calling Metro to pick them up. Another black eye for the scooter companies. I visit friends in East Nashville and I see them just lying in the streets. 

I have seen a little improvement of scooters on the sidewalks but not much. People are ignoring the little tags on them that say never ride them on the sidewalk. I figure some are more willing to ride on the sidewalk because they are intimidated by riding them in the traffic. If I were younger and stupid I would think twice about riding them in Nashville traffic myself.

I think you guys that want them are fighting a lost cause as those that have the power seem to be against them and most of the polls of residents seem to oppose them at least by a 2 or 3 to 1 margin.

I will predict they will be gone very soon and Nashville will serve as a model for other cities considering a ban as well. If you want a scooter, go buy one if you like them. I will also say that the B-Cycle program has probably suffered a lot because of them. 

[donNdonelson2]

Late yesterday afternoon I saw a few scooters dumped on the greenway near the bridge over the Cumberland at Two Rivers Park. Motorized devices are prohibited on the greenways, of course.