Numerous e-scooters abandoned across Mississauga, councillor says

Editor’s note: Story has been updated to include comments from Lime, one of the companies that has partnered with the City of Mississauga on the city’s first shared micro-mobility program.

Mississauga’s new electric scooter and bicycle initiative is encountering some major growing pains, with one city councillor saying he’s “lost count of how many complaints I have received” about the program.

A number of the rented scooters are being abandoned in various places in the south end of the city near the waterfront, Ward 1 Coun. Stephen Dasko told city council last Wednesday.

Others, meanwhile, are being left at bicycle racks where they’re taking up space at the expense of bikes, he added.

“I have lost count of how many complaints I have received with regards to this. It’s been an ongoing battle,” Dasko told senior city staff and council colleagues, adding the matter needs to be addressed immediately. “Right now, the Ward 1 staff and myself are overrun dealing with these complaints.”

Launched earlier this summer, the City of Mississauga’s first shared micro-mobility program has made as many as 300 electric pedal-assist bicycles (e-bikes) and 900 electric kick-style scooters (e-scooters) available for people to use at various places including parks, the downtown core and other neighbourhoods throughout the city.

Ward 1 Coun. Stephen Dasko said his office is overrun with complaints about e-scooters.

The e-scooters and e-bikes are available to rent at more than 600 locations across Mississauga as the city embarks on a plan to have people use other viable and widespread modes of transportation. City officials said earlier the devices can be found near community centres, libraries, bus stops and park entrances. Users can then park their device at a bike rack or another designated location closest to their destination.

Dasko said he initially asked the city to consider “a model that had docking stations” so the e-scooters, which are posing the largest problem, he noted, “wouldn’t be just littered all over the city.”

“This is an ongoing, significant problem that we’re having,” he continued. “I had one resident, earlier today, who said he had sent in a complaint there was a scooter that was basically abandoned at a spot towards the waterfront and it took, I believe it was Lime (one of the city’s partners in the program), eight days to come and address the situation.”

Dasko said in addition to the abandoned e-scooters, others are taking up excessive space at bicycle racks.

“Some people can’t park their bicycles because there are too many scooters in a particular spot … it’s not so much the e-bikes, it’s the scooters that we’re having the issues with.”

Sam Rogers, Mississauga’s commissioner of transportation and works, said staff was expecting growing pains with the program.

Sam Rogers, Mississauga’s commissioner of transportation and works, told Dasko staff was expecting some challenges as the program was launched, “so we’re not surprised to hear some of these comments.”

Rogers said staff will address the Ward 1 issues immediately and by the end of the year will report back to council with a more comprehensive assessment of the e-scooter/e-bike program.

Lime, a worldwide shared electric vehicle company that has partnered with the city on Mississauga’s e-scooter/e-bike program, said they’re “in constant communication with city partners to address any challenges as they arise.”

In an email to INsauga.com on Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for Lime said the company also works closely with the city “to analyze the data to respond to concerns and help inform adjustments to the parking zones.

“As a result,” the spokesperson continued, “we’ve seen a considerable drop in misplaced or abandoned vehicles in the past few weeks and we continue to make operational improvements to enhance the user experience.”

Lime also plans to help “educate the community on proper parking practices and safe e-scooter and e-bike use” through local events and rider outreach, the company said.

Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo said growing pains with the new program involve more than abandoned e-scooters and the issue of bicycle rack parking.

He called for an education blitz in the new year that would hammer home various messages to people using e-scooters and e-bikes — messages focusing on safety and proper/legal use of the mobility devices across the city.

Hundreds of e-bikes and e-scooters are available to rent across Mississauga. (Photo: City of Mississauga)

Mississauga is now one of nine Ontario municipalities with shared micro-mobility systems. Toronto, Brampton and Ottawa are among the others.

The plan was first discussed several years ago and then fully supported by city councillors who approved the program last fall.

In October 2019, council supported a recommendation for city staff to look at how a program of shared bikes, e-bikes or e-scooters could be used for travel in Mississauga as part of a Micro-Mobility Program Development Project.

Following extensive analysis and community and stakeholder consultation in June 2022, council approved a recommendation last fall to develop a program that offers e-bikes and e-scooters.

The city is partnering with Lime Technology, Inc. and Bird Canada on Mississauga’s first shared system of e-bikes and e-scooters. The contract with both companies is for three years.

Both of those partners will provide e-bikes and e-scooters and the devices will be programmed with:

• no-ride zones on sidewalks and other restricted areas
• slow-ride zones on busy shared trails and areas with high foot traffic
• no-parking zones to ensure trips can only end in areas approved for parking

Additionally, all e-bikes have a bell, front and rear lights, reflectors, a height adjustable seat, a step-through frame, a lock, a front basket and a helmet.

All e-scooters have a bell, front and rear lights, turn signals, a lock and a helmet.

E-bikes can be used on multi-use trails, park trails, bike lanes or on any roads, unless otherwise prohibited, officials have said. E-scooters can be used on multi-use trails, bike lanes and roads with a posted speed limit of 50 km/h or less.