Scooter Sharing in Chicago

Shared scooters are available for rent in Chicago through the Divvy bikeshare system as well as through companies awarded business licenses to operate: Lime and Spin. The City has established rules for shared scooter operations based on these goals. The City also has developed standardized enforcement procedures to ensure that scooter licensees are providing quality service to our residents.

To report a scooter parking issue, please use the 311 system.  Vendors have two hours to remedy any parking complaints.  

Rider Tips for How to Safely and Properly Use Shared Scooters

 

Riding a Scooter:

  •     Always wear a helmet.
  •     Scooters cannot be operated on sidewalks.
  •     Scooters may be rented between 5:00am-midnight.
  •     Scooter riders must be at least 18 years of age or at least 16 with parent or guardian consent.
  •     No more than one person may ride on a scooter at any time.
  •     A rider’s first trip will be limited to a maximum speed of 10 mph.
  •     No shared scooter will exceed a maximum speed of 15 mph.
  •     Scooter riders must obey all rules of the street, including traffic lights, stop signs and one-way streets.
  •     Scooter riders must yield for pedestrians.
  •     Scooters cannot be operated on sidewalks.
  •     Scooters cannot be operated on the Lakefront Trail, The 606 (Bloomingdale Trail), or the Chicago Riverwalk.

 

Click here for the complete list of rules

Parking a Scooter:

  • Scooters must be parked in the public right-of-way unless a company has established a specific parking arrangement on private property.
  • Scooters must be parked upright, with both wheels on the ground.
  • Scooters must be parked so that a clear path of travel at least 5-feet wide remains on the sidewalk for pedestrians.
  • Scooters cannot be parked along building facades and cannot block fire hydrants, bus stops, CTA L entrances, loading zones or building access points.
  • To end a trip, scooters must be locked to a fixed physical object, such as a bike rack, retired meter, street sign or light pole (locks are included attached to scooters). Divvy riders are encouraged to park their scooters in Divvy stations.
  • Scooters cannot be locked to private fences, bus shelters, bus stop signs, inside CTA L stations, or disabled parking signs.

Divvy Scooter Sharing

Divvy has added scooters to its fleet, creating the first docked bike and scooter share system in the country. Divvy scooters will initially be incorporated into the central core of the system, can be parked in Divvy stations and will be available to both existing members and to non-members. The City-owned Divvy system is operated under contract by Lyft. For more information on Divvy bikes and scooters, visit divvybikes.com or call 855-553-4889.

 


Scooter Sharing Business License

In October 2021, the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance creating a new business license category for companies to provide scooter sharing service in the city, with up to 3 two-year licenses available. CDOT and BACP launched an application process in

January 2022 and received 6 applications, which were reviewed and scored based on a rigorous process. The top-scoring applicants were awarded business licenses.

Scooter sharing license holders pay a license fee equal to $1-per-device-per-day, paid upfront for the entire duration of the two-year license period. Scooter licensees also pay a personal property lease tax equal to 9% of trip revenue. License holders are obligated to follow these Rules & Regulations. For transparency, the City has created an abbreviated summary of license holders’ key obligations. Scooter licensees are required to provide low-cost options for Chicagoans with financial barriers and low-tech options for those without smartphones. Visit the scooter company websites below or contact customer service for more information on these options.

Lime Scooter Contact Information:

Spin Scooter Contact Information:

 

Overviews of Past Scooter Sharing Pilots

In 2019 and 2020, the City of Chicago conducted a pair of four-month scooter sharing pilots to evaluate the viability of scooter sharing in Chicago, to test technology and rules and to develop a better understanding of how a more permanent program might take shape.

 

 

More information about the pilots can be found at the links below:

 

Scooter Sharing Datasets

Click here for the 2020 E-Scooter Pilot trips census tract summary dataset 

 

News Releases