REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Operating Agreement with Bird Rides, Inc. for a One-year Pilot Operation of a Stand-up Electric Scooter Sharing Program
Report
BACKGROUND
In October 2018, the City entered a licensing agreement with Lime to operate a dockless bike share pilot program within the City. The program was officially launched on December 17, 2018 with 300 e-bikes, with a goal of eventually operating up to 1,000 e-bikes within the City. Lime bikes were located throughout the City, including popular locations such as the Civic Center, Sunnyvale Public Library, Community Center, City parks, and Sunnyvale downtown. Due to a change in their business model and focus, Lime discontinued their bike share business nationwide. Lime officially terminated the agreement with the City for the pilot program in March 2019.
Since then, staff has been coordinating with the City of Mountain View on partnering with them on a joint program, but due to resource issues and priorities in both jurisdictions, that effort was delayed. In March 2022, Bird Rides, Inc. (Bird) reached out to the City and expressed their interest in launching a pilot share program for stand-up electric scooters in Sunnyvale. Bird is currently operating in the City of Santa Clara and is also in communications with the City of Mountain View to implement a program there as well.
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan, Chapter 3, Land Use and Transportation Element:
* Goal LT-2: Environmentally Sustainable Land Use and Transportation Planning and Development - Support the sustainable vision by incorporating sustainable features into land use and transportation decisions and practices.
* Goal LT-3: An Effective Multimodal Transportation System - Offer the community a variety of transportation modes for local travel that are also integrated with the regional transportation system and land use pattern. Favor accommodation of alternative modes to the automobile as a means t...
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