Love scooters or hate ‘em? Chicago officials want to know

Since June’s launch of Chicago’s four-month dockless electric scooter pilot program, there’s been no shortage of complaints regarding the micromobility technology. Common issues include improper parking, illegal riding on The 606 trail, injuries from accidents, and riders skirting the geo-fenced boundaries of the West Side pilot zone.

According to the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), which is running the trial, Chicagoans can report scooter problems just like any other city issue by using the 311 website or mobile app. There’s even a dedicated “E-Scooter” category—although the 311 recommends calling the company that operates the minibikes before filing a complaint.

Looking beyond individual issues that require immediate attention, the BACP hopes to solicit general feedback regarding the technology—negative and positive. The comments will help it decide if and how scooters will fit into Chicago’s broader mobility plans after the pilot wraps up in October. To weigh-in, residents can email scooterfeedback@cityofchicago.org.

Currently, ten vendors are participating in Chicago’s trial program. The city is collecting real-time data to monitor each company’s rebalancing efforts, rules compliance, and other criteria.

“Repercussions for failure to comply with the requirements of the program will range from fines to permit revocation,” a spokesperson from the BACP told Curbed Chicago in June. So far, the city says it’s issued citations against Bird, Bolt, JUMP, and Sherpa for failing to meet rebalancing requirements.

Nashville recently ended its pilot project early after the city’s first scooter-related death, involving a 26-year-old rider who had more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system.