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In a last-minute swerve, Santa Monica decides on a light touch for electric scooter regulation
Bird and Lime scooters sit parked in front of a building on April 17, 2018 in San Francisco.
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In a last-minute swerve, Santa Monica decides on a light touch for electric scooter regulation
Santa Monica was the first city to ever see electric scooters from Silicon Beach startup Bird popping up on city sidewalks. The dockless vehicles have quickly caught on with riders, but they've also become a nuisance to many residents.
On Tuesday night, Santa Monica city council members chose to regulate the scooter boom with a light touch. They set new fees and rules, but decided against a proposal to cap the number of scooters on city streets at 500 per company. Instead, scooter services will be allowed to keep adding more vehicles as long as they're each getting used about three times per day.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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