Los Angeles Will Limit Popular E-Scooters in Pilot Program

Los Angeles has approved a pilot program for dockless electric scooters that could remove thousands of them from city streets.

The City Council approved a one-year program limiting the number of e-scooters to 3,000 per company.

David Estrada, a spokesman for e-scooter company Bird, tells City News Service that the firm already operates about 8,000 scooters daily in LA. Rival Lime is believed to operate about the same.

The program will begin within 120 days.

Major cities are struggling to deal with the explosive growth of trendy e-scooters, which can be rented via a mobile phone app and dropped off without having to dock at a specific location.

Backers say scooters are convenient public transportation. Critics say reckless riders endanger pedestrians and the devices clutter up sidewalks.

Related:

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• Trendy e-Scooters for Transportation Seized in Northern California
• Hoverboards Banned on San Francisco State University Campus