City of Austin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release Date:
Contact: Hannah Barron     5129749238    Email
Photo of a recently installed Swiftmile e-scooter parking station.

Austin Transportation and Swiftmile, Inc. have launched a six-month no-cost pilot project to test the usability of the company’s universal scooter parking and charging stations for electric scooters (e-scooters) in downtown and other high scooter traffic areas of the city.

This pilot will observe how effectively Swiftmile’s stations can be used to manage sidewalk clutter, increase accessibility and improve access to fully charged e-scooters. Over the next six months, any e-scooter will be able to park and eventually charge at the stations for free. The temporary stations are primarily located downtown. These locations were chosen based on e-scooter travel patterns and data the city has collected since April 2018. The ten stations will be deployed at the following locations:

  • 900 Electric Dr.
  • 609 Davis St.
  • 1100 E. 5th St.
  • 2104 Guadalupe St.
  • 601 Congress Ave.
  • 401 Congress Ave.
  • 500 W. 2nd St.
  • 302 E. Cesar Chavez
  • 114 Barton Springs Rd.
  • 1412 S. Congress Ave.

The pilot will be separated into two phases. During Phase I, the stations will be installed without batteries and will serve only as organized parking spaces for e-scooters. Each station offers six to eight e-scooter parking spaces. Batteries will be added to each station during Phase II, providing power and allowing scooters to charge while parked in each spot.

Phase II of this project is tentatively scheduled for late August. However, due to decreased ridership during COVID-19, the timeframe for launching Phase II of the pilot will be determined by market forces and scooter data to ensure that there are sufficient e-scooters in the market to accurately evaluate outcomes.  

These stations will be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis throughout the life of the pilot. During this project, city staff and Swiftmile employees will conduct surveys to collect feedback and understand user behavior related to the stations. The outcome of this pilot project will help inform programs and policy around mobility and scooters in the future. To learn more about this project, visit AustinTexas.gov/SmartMobility.
 

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In collaboration with area partners, Austin Transportation Department leads our community’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries on Austin streets, the achievement of a 50/50 commute type split by 2039 as established in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, and actively seeks innovative solutions and piloting technology that can decrease the use of single-occupancy vehicles and improve safety through Austin Transportation Department's Smart Mobility Office. For details, please visit AustinTexas.gov/Transportation.

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