U of M plans scooter etiquette crack down as school year begins

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E-scooters are back in a big way at the University of Minnesota and the school is cracking down this fall. (FOX 9)

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - There’s no shortage of ways to get around the University of Minnesota, but you can’t go very far without seeing e-scooters.

In their second year on the Twin Cities campus, the school is making sure to lay the ground rules surrounding the popular vehicles.

The U of M is cracking down on e-scooter rules on campus

The scooters are more popular than ever, so the school is making sure everyone follows the rules.

“I get there in about 10 minutes instead of walking 30, so it’s really nice,” said Bauston Lenarz, a U of M student. “A lot of classmates use them. They’re just super to have around campus, especially a big campus like this, they can get you anywhere in a couple of minutes.”

The 400 scooters allowed on campus are getting some miles on them, too.

Ross Allanson is the director of parking and transportation at the University.

“The easy message is scooter riders should act like a bike rider,” he said. “They should be on a bike lane, on the street, they should follow the same rules that bikes follow.”

Not everyone is getting that message, however, so the campus says it will crack down.

“Probably the biggest issue is scooters riding on sidewalks,” Allanson said. “We’re going to try to get the world out. That’s not something you should do.”

While there will be some bumps when something new like the scooters moves in, for now, the transportation devices are keeping the campus moving.