County to Test Dockless E-Scooters Next Month

E-scooters, the two-wheeled kid’s toy grown up with electric engines, could become prevalent conveyances in Montgomery County.

The county’s Department of Transportation is looking for vendors who want to test dockless e-scooters.

By being dockless, the e-scooters don’t relay on fixed stations. Customers use a mobile phone app with GPS to find a nearby scooter and unlock it.

The transportation department will conduct a demonstration project with up to four companies to deploy dockless e-scooters and e-bikes at no cost to the county. The demonstration project is expected to begin in March and run for six months with an option for extension.

Selected companies will be required to provide real-time operational data for county management and for program analysis.

The county’s agreement with dockless bike share and e-scooter companies is part of a demonstration project to test the concept countywide. As the first suburban jurisdiction in the country with dockless bikeshare, Montgomery County already authorized dockless bikes in Silver Spring, Takoma Park and North Bethesda. The program serves the county’s goal of providing more transportation options that support a greener county.

General feedback about the pilot program or about a specific company participating in the pilot is welcome.

Send emails to mcdot.commuterservices@montgomerycountymd.gov or contact MC311 online or by calling 311 from within Montgomery County or 240-777-0311 from outside the County (Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), or by following MC311 on Twitter @311MC311.

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