Micromobility unwelcome in New Smyrna Beach?
New Smyrna Beach is looking to ban shared micromobility while Bird could be leaving some, or all, of its markets in the state.
Micromobility vehicles could be banned from New Smyrna Beach
A final vote to ban shared e-scooters and e-bikes from New Smyrna Beach (just south of Daytona Beach) is set for October 25, according to HomeTownNewsVolusia.com. According to the report, the proposed ordinance passed a first reading without comment on October 11, setting the stage for the second vote and immediate implementation if passed.
The language of the ordinance itself mentions that the “operation of electric bicycles, micromobility devices and motorized scooters is not compatible with the uses and activities predominately located within the Mainland Special Parking District or the Flagler Avenue Special Parking District….”
It’s important to clarify what the city is seeking to do here. Under Florida law, micromobility devices are shared motorized transportation devices not capable of going faster than 20 mph. That would include e-scooters (which Florida calls ‘motorized scooter’) and e-bicycles.
The biggest impact from the proposed ordinance is a ban on shared micromobility companies from staging and parking their vehicles within city limits, effectively killing any idea of working with any companies like Bird or Lime.
The ordinance would also prevent a “micromobility device” from being ridden in those special districts, along with bicycles which were already prevented. Also, “[n]o micromobility device” can be parked or abandoned or left on the street or sidewalk so that it would obstruct traffic or pedestrians or parking spaces.
Of the many problems with the ordinance, one is the ambiguity on whether this applies to a privately owned e-scooter. The ordinance tracks the Florida statute that defines micromobility device and the provision that it includes motorized scooters. A privately owned e-scooter, meanwhile, isn’t defined as a micromobility device under Florida law since it isn’t “made available for private use by reservation through an online application, website, or software for point-to-point trips.”
The proposed ordinance, meanwhile, only uses the term “micromobility device” in preventing riding and parking in certain areas, yet the intent is seemingly to ban private and shared vehicles. This exposes some of the confusion that is held by many regarding the technology and vehicles and the poorly drafted definitions in Florida law for micromobility devices.
Bird is pulling out of some markets, but will Florida be spared?
Shared-micromobility company Bird has announced that it will be leaving several small to mid-sized cities across the US, as well as outright exiting Germany, Sweden, and Norway.
One of the factors Bird noted, following a thorough review, was:
…that some markets lack such a framework, resulting in an oversupply of vehicles that has led to overcrowded streets and a high but frequently rotating number of competitors. All this invariably leads to sizable losses for operators who, as a result, cannot afford to invest and continue to make micromobility safer and more sustainable.
According to Smart Cities Dive, Bird’s 2021 revenues exceeded $205 million, though this past June it announced that it was laying off 23% of its staff.
Bird currently operates out of Tampa, Bradenton, Miami, and Orlando, as well as on campus at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. There has been no mention of whether any of the Florida locations will be affected.
From micromobility to…minimobility?
The McKinsey Center for Future Mobility believes “minimobility” will be coming to a road near you, according to Smart Cities Dive. But what is minimobility?
According to the authors of the McKinsey report, these minimobility devices are three- and four-wheeled electric vehicles that fall between bicycles and cars, which can carry 1 to 2 passengers. While these vehicles can go as fast as 50 mph, their target is more 25-30 mph with a focus on city commutes. As the report notes:
Because of their smaller size, minimobility vehicles are less expensive than standard EVs, consume less space, and have more parking options—characteristics that are especially beneficial in crowded urban areas.
As Kersten Heineke, one of the authors of the report, said in an interview:
The best analogy is the retirement communities in Florida and California and other places where people use golf carts to go from A to B.
You could see something like this taking off in places like The Villages in Central Florida or Century Village in South Florida.
Hurricane Ian exposed Florida’s electrical grid and EV vulnerability
Hurricane Ian exposed many issues with Florida’s infrastructure, one of which is the power grid. As reported by Protocol.com, one day after Hurricane Ian made landfall there were 2.5 million Florida households without power. This loss of power, still ongoing for some, effects those who travel by EV. Even if someone uses an e-scooter or e-bike or electric car, how long it takes to get the grid back online after a weather event will be crucial.
Florida Power & Light CEO Eric Silagy told the Washington Post that customers in places where the grid didn’t need to be rebuilt were back online within eight days. He said in another press conference, according to Protocol, that, “There are sections of our service territory in Southwest Florida which we will not be able to repair, but we are going to have to rebuild.”
As Floridians rely on electricity to fuel more than just their home lights or ACs, their vulnerability will only grow to hurricanes and other extreme weather.