GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A new study shows that people are looking for access to affordable transportation.
Grand Rapids recently launched a pilot program over the summer to provide better access to Lime scooters and bikes.
The report shocked city officials after Grand Rapids showed that the city had one of the highest user counts in the world.
"This affordability program allowed us to have Lime access members rank seventh in the world, putting us ahead of New York City and just behind Portland, Oregon," Grand Rapids Mobility Planning and Policy Supervisor Erin Evenhouse said.
Kevin Scott often walks to work in downtown Grand Rapids, which he explains takes a while.
"The walk is 45 minutes from where I am on Lafayette and Hall," Scott said.
He is one of the many users who relies on the e-scooters to get home from work after spending another 8–10 hours on his feet cooking.
"It feels fantastic. I really don't want to walk 45 minutes after a really hard day, so I'll definitely take a scooter versus walking every day," Scott said.
He's not the only one who uses them to get to work.
"We're just absolutely thrilled with the impact that we've seen so far," Evenhouse said.
The pilot program lasted over five weeks, allowing riders to access five free half-hour daily rides.
Evenhouse explains that their initial findings showed a large number of people signed up.
- 1,558 people signed up
- 1,111 active users
- 32,000 miles traveled
- Income around $50,000 or less
"[What] we really want to do is promote lower or no-cost mobility for the people who need it the most," Evenhouse said.
Scott likes the current cost, but he adds that lower prices would help him save more for a car.
"It helps me save for one because it's very affordable. So I can't really complain," Scott said.
Grand Rapids is still making these scooters and bikes more affordable.
They have targeted neighborhoods where people can get discounted rides.
Editor's note: The City of Grand Rapids updated the number of users who participated in the program, which is now reflected in the story.
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