Lime, a San Mateo, California-based dockless bikeshare company, has filed for a bikeshare permit in Atlanta.
According to representatives with Lime (previously known as LimeBike), the city is currently reviewing the permit the company filed last week. Additionally, the Brookhaven City Council will vote on Tuesday to bring Lime’s bikeshare system to Brookhaven. Though Relay has offered a bikeshare system to residents in the city since 2016, Lime would be the first dockless bikeshare company to launch in Atlanta.
“We all know how much of a problem traffic is in Atlanta," Atlanta City Councilman Matt Westmoreland said in a statement. "We are one of the most congested cities in the country and the simple fact is we have too many cars on the road. Lime offers a new solution and new opportunities to free up our streets by reducing our reliance on cars.”
Atlanta ranks 8th in the world in traffic congestion, and the average commuter spends 70.8 hours in traffic each year in the city, according to Lime. Emma Green, a Lime spokeswoman, said the rental of a classic pedal bike costs $1 per every 30 minutes of riding.
“Atlanta is a dynamic, forward-moving city, where smart mobility makes sense,” Sidney McLaurin, a Lime regional general manager, said. “Lime will give Atlantans a choice for affordable, flexible transportation while alleviating congestion and promoting environmental sustainability.”
The news of Lime's expansion to Atlanta comes on the heels of Bird's launch in the city last week; the dockless electric scooter startup based in Santa Monica, California now offers scooters in Midtown, Tech Square, downtown Atlanta and South of I-20 in the West End.
Since launching in June 2017, Lime claims to have logged more than 3 million trips, launched in more than 50 markets and deployed electric scooters, electric-assist bikes, and multiple versions of their standard pedal bike.
“I'm thrilled at the increased access to bike mobility Lime will bring to Atlantans who have not had affordable or proximate access to bikeshare,” said Councilman Amir Farokhi. “These bikes will bring our city closer to an equitable transit system.”
In partnerships with its launch cities, Lime provides aggregate, anonymous data to city planning offices to support local biking infrastructure.
“I look forward to not only the immediate benefits that Lime will provide its users, but the information we will receive from the company which will inform and enhance our transportation planning in the years to come,” Westmoreland said.
