Pittsburgh Priming To Operate PA's First E-Scooter Program

HARRISBURG, PA —A hurdle must first be cleared, but Pittsburgh could become the first city in Pennsylvania to have electric low-speed scooters on its streets.

Currently it's illegal to operate an e-scooter on public infrastructure. But state senators Jay Costa of Pittsburgh and Wane Langerholc Jr. of Bedford County plan to introduce legislation that would permit e-scooters in second-class cities. Pittsburgh is the state's only second-class city.

The legislation would update the state's vehicular code and permit the city to operate a shared e-scooter program. The city would decide when, where and how the e-scooters will operate.

Privately owned e-scooters would still be banned from public streets.

"States and cities across the United States have authorized e-scooters to provide an alternative form of transportation for their citizens," Costa and Langerholc wrote in their joint memo.

"Our legislation only creates a pilot program for residents and visitors in Pittsburgh. If the results of the pilot program are favorable, then additional legislation will need to be introduced for potential expansion across the Commonwealth."