After seeing an influx of micromobility companies enter the Atlanta market in 2018 (in fact, a few companies companies came to Atlanta this time last year), 2019 has been the year of dockless scooter restriction and uncertainty about the micromobility movement.
In August, everything came crumbling to a halt. Following several deaths involving e-scooters and complaints from pedestrians about the amount of vehicles parked illegally on the sidewalk, the city of Atlanta placed a nighttime ban on scooters and restricted other scooter companies from submitting permits. Those decisions are still in effect.
Now, the city will have to review the next steps for micromobility once more as the clock ticks on several e-scooter permits.
According to the ordinance the Atlanta City Council adopted on Jan. 7, 2019, e-scooter permits have a short shelf-life of one year.
"The Dockless Permit shall be valid for 12 months as of the date of the original issuance of the permit and shall thereafter expire. All permit holders shall be required to renew their permits annually on forms prescribed by the Department of City Planning Office of Zoning and Development," the ordinance reads.
Michael Smith, press secretary for the City of Atlanta, confirmed with Atlanta Inno on Friday that dockless permits are valid for 12 months.
When asked if dockless vehicle and e-scooter companies with existing permits would be allowed to renew their permits in spite of the ban on new permits, Smith said "there is legislation in the works to address this matter."
Smith said none of the permits approved for dockless vehicles have expired as of now.
"The first permits to expire will do so in February of 2020," he said. "We are working to finalize the process, but the goal is to prevent any gap in service while legislation is being worked on and ultimately approved."
Since the nighttime ban and restriction of new permits, Atlanta has seen Gotcha and Lyft scooters, and Uber’s JUMP bikes, leave the market.
To catch up on the events that unfolded on Atlanta's micromobility scene this year, click here to see our previous coverage of dockless vehicles.
