E-scooter trial hits a new milestone in Melbourne

E-scooter use in Melbourne

Figures obtained by e-scooter operator, Lime, show that riders have travelled an average distance of 2.5km per trip – roughly the distance of Flinders Street Station to the Royal Botanical Gardens in South Yarra.

On average 8,600 e-scooter trips have been made each day, with 5,200 taken in the City of Melbourne alone.

The new transport alternative has proven to be a hit during events such as AFL games and the Melbourne Grand Prix, which saw a spike in use over the four-day festival at Albert Park.

E-scooter riders have attested that taking the cost-effective e-scooter can be a much more attractive option than busy public transport networks. The electric scooter boom has also come to market at a convenient time for commuters looking to save money and avoid record-high petrol prices.

Survey data by Neuron has revealed that the vast majority (61 per cent) of riders are aged between 25 and 44 and primarily use the e-scooter to explore the Melbourne CBD. 

Commuting to the office or education institution was the next-highest reason for use. 

With figures like these, be prepared to see a lot more lime on Melbourne’s streets in the future.

According to William Peters, Director of Government Affairs for Lime Australia and New Zealand, the February 2022-February 2023 e-scooter trial will help micro-mobility operators “develop an understanding of the features and behavioural factors that work well or need to change to work best for the community” before the full fleet is made available in Melbourne.

Lime has already become a common fixture in other states in Australia. "Lime has provided a responsive and well used share e-bike service in Sydney for the past four years,” explained Peters. “We have also provided share e-scooters and e-bikes on the Gold Coast for the past two years that have enabled more people to connect journeys for leisure, education and as part of their commute.”

E-scooters are a fun and eco-friendly way to get around the city. Image: Charlie Kinross

E-scooter tech and geofencing

Helping keep riders and pedestrians safe, the e-scooters automatically cap the users’ speed in ‘go slow’ zones and turn off in ‘no go’ zones, made possible by cutting-edge technology known as ‘geofencing’.

The in-built geofencing technology also shows riders where their nearest e-scooters can be located, and where to park their e-scooters after use. Lime e-scooters all have local zone mapping data installed - rather than a cloud server - which allows the e-scooters to implement geofence zone commands within one second.

Lime has also launched its Generation 4 e-scooter, which can be identified by its swept-back handlebars. Burt-Morris described the Gen4 as “a first for shared e-scooters while providing the smoothest and most technologically advanced, sustainable Lime ride in history.”

The latest design features a high-visibility paint scheme, anti-tampering screws, and internal wiring to prevent vandalism. Real-time Accident Detection and Response (RADAR) software has also been installed, which automatically detects potential safety incidents in real-time.

The Lime app shows all nearby e-scooter locations in real-time. Image: Lime

E-scooter safety

Riding e-scooters responsibly is vitally important to keeping our roads and pathways safe. To keep yourself and others safe, familiarise yourself with current e-scooter road rules, which are enforced by Victoria Police.

These include:

• Being at least 18 years old

• Wearing a helmet

• Avoiding footpaths

• Giving way to pedestrians

• Avoiding using mobile devices while riding, carrying passengers, or riding 2+ abreast

• Riding at a maximum speed of 20 km/h

• Riding only on bicycle lanes, shared paths and low-speed roads (that is, roads with speed limits up to and including 50 km/h)

• Adhering to the blood alcohol content and drug use restrictions under the Road Safety Act 1986 (the same act that applies to motorists).

“E-scooter riders need to follow the rules of the road that apply where they are riding,” added Peters. “Riders should also avoid parking in ways that obstruct footpaths for pedestrians. Lime provides rider education, in-app notifications, and financial incentives to encourage users to ride safely.”

Recently partnering with Lime, arevo by RACV offers registered users one free ride with Lime to the value of $6: the average e-scooter ride price.

Both arevo and Lime are dedicated to help Victorians get around town faster, more sustainably and more affordably. Use arevo’s bike-map tab to easily map and plan your e-scooter journey.