Newer, safer E-Scooters coming to Ottawa this summer
Electric scooters have become one of the most popular forms of transportation in Ottawa during the summer, but this year riders will be introduced to some brand new technology.
They're fun and convenient. E-scooters have been extremely popular for the past few summers, and they’re coming back.
"Obviously, we’re very excited at the prospect of coming back to Ottawa," Derek Robertson of Lime Scooters says. "We’re excited to see what the residents of Ottawa think of the new scooter."
This year, riders will notice some changes.
"Under the hood there’s 100 plus sensors determining everything from geofencing your exact location," Robertson says. "Whether the scooter may have tipped over or not. As well as if you’re going up over a sidewalk."
Brand new scooters are coming, with new features and technology to adhere to rules that the city has put in place.
"If you park in a no-parking zone, you’re not allowed to actually end your trip," Robertson says.
The scooters will not work on sidewalks, cannot be left in non-parking areas, and will make an audible sound to alert pedestrians that they are approaching.
"They didn’t realize that Ottawa would be such a hot spot, whether its tourism or scooting," Coun. Tim Tierney says. "People love these things."
Last year, three companies operated a total of 1,200 scooters in Ottawa, resulting in nearly 500 thousand trips. This year, the city is cutting it to two companies with fewer scooters.
"We’ve decided just to put tighter control, knowing it’s just going to be two fleet operators that will be selected through a process," says Tierney. "We’re going down to 900."
Bird Canada is one of the companies vying for a spot here with their new Generation 3 Scooter.
"We have a whole new generation of brand new scooters that we’d like to bring," says Bird Canada CEO Stewart Lyons. "The wheels are bigger. The footboard is longer. It’s much more stable."
Just like Lime, Bird as fully revamped their scooters to make it safer for everyone.
"We can figure out with precision, much greater precision than we had before, where a scooter is and where it’s going," says Lyons. "And that helps us prevent things like sidewalk riding. It helps us do things like precision parking which forces it to park in a 20 centimetre box."
Another big change, companies will now have only 15 minutes to retrieve a misplaced scooter, down from one hour.
Regardless of which two companies win the chance to operate in Ottawa this summer, the scooters look like they’re here to stay for years to come.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.