Sign of spring: Lime scooters return to St. Paul
Lime scooters, as seen in their natural habitat in St. Paul. (Image provided).
St. Paul, Minn. (Fox 9) - The green scooters are back in St. Paul.
Lime scooters rolled out across the capital city on Thursday morning. The scooters have operated continuously, with pauses for winter, since 2018, and this year the program features an updated model: Lime Gen 4.
The new scooters have the color palette you’d expect, but now have bigger wheels with enhanced suspension, a dual brake system, a kickstand with two legs, swept-back handle cars, and other new features, according to an announcement from the company.
"We’re thrilled to be back in Saint Paul for 2023, and we look forward to continuing to build on the success of e-scooter sharing here, especially when it comes to sustainability, equity, and safety," LeAaron Foley, Director of Government Relations at Lime, said in a press release.
Lime will continue its policy, which started in the fall of 2021, of offering a 30% discount for trips in areas designated by the City of St. Paul as Areas of Concentrated Poverty (ACP). This includes Frogtown, Payne Phalen, North End, Dayton’s Bluff and the West Side neighborhoods.
A Lime spokesperson told FOX 9 the company has a plan in place to reduce the frequency at which scooters are left in the sidewalk, including: GPS-based, no-parking zones, an ongoing system of rider education via in-app messages and emails, and social media campaigns letting people know how to park properly and ride responsibly, warnings for improper use.
The company says they also advocate for bike parking and protected bike pans, which Lime believes is, "the best way to give people a safe place to ride and prevent sidewalk riding long term."