No More Scooter Permits In Atlanta, Mayor Says

ATLANTA — Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has issued an executive order prohibiting the issuance of additional permits for shareable dockless mobility devices. Bottoms’ executive action will not affect companies with existing permits, but Bottoms plans introduce legislation at the August 5 Atlanta City Council meeting to address public safety and other concerns.

Bottoms' actions come after two people were killed within the span of about a month in e-scooter accidents. One person was killed while leaving an Atlanta United MLS match, while another was struck by a transit bus in Midtown.

“Across the nation, municipalities are dealing with the sudden and unforeseen impact these devices have had on our communities," Bottoms said. "While some municipalities have banned the devices altogether, the city of Atlanta acted in good faith to work with the private sector to explore innovative solutions to ease existing commuting strains. However, as Atlanta has seen two scooter related deaths, this complex issue requires a more thorough and robust dialogue.”

Bottoms' order will remain in effect through the August 5 city council meeting.

Last month, the city of Alpharetta banned the increasingly popular dockless scooters, citing safety and the possibility of the devices creating a nuisance. City dministrator James Drinkard said local governments across the country are experiencing the increased integration of new technology platforms into their transportation systems.

Many of the major dockless scooter companies, including Lime and Bird, have a motive of introducing shareable dockless mobility devices into communities to simply place a large volume of them in a community without notice, betting that riders will encourage elected officials to change city infrastructure and enact regulations to ensure the devices become an essential part of transportation, Drinkard said.

"In every city on which the scooters have descended, city officials have been barraged with complaints about abandoned scooters in sidewalks, accidents, and 'near misses' with helmet-less riders on busy streets," he said.

As reported by media outlets earlier this year, Grady Memorial Hospital estimated it receives between 80 and 100 scooter-related injuries per month, ranging from serious head injuries to broken limbs, Drinkard said. Around the nation, it's estimated there have been at least 1,500 injuries related to the scooters since 2017, according to a Consumer Reports magazine study published in February, he said. The magazine also found at least four scooter related fatalities were confirmed nationally. Data was compiled by the magazine after contacting 110 hospitals in 47 cities where the two biggest scooter companies, Bird and Lime, operate.

In April, the City of Woodstock considered a similar ordinance after a Woodstock man died in California after he was involved in a scooter crash in March.

Patch Editor Kathleen Sturgeon contributed to this report.