Phoenix expands e-bike and e-scooter program ahead of Super Bowl

Super Bowl visitors will have expanded access to e-scooters in and around downtown Phoenix, where many big events are planned.

Driving the news: On Friday, the city enacted a permanent policy for electric scooter and bike rentals, more than three years after it tested a pilot program.

• Riders can now use Lime and Spin scooters and bikes in an expanded area that includes downtown, most of south Phoenix and the area north of the airport.
• Yes, but: The Capitol Mall area and all city parks within the program boundary are no-ride zones. The scooters and electric bikes have technology that will disable their motors in these areas.

Flashback: When bike sharing became popular in 2018, the Phoenix City Council was extremely hesitant to allow the transportation options within the city limits because of issues in the suburbs with people leaving them on sidewalks and on private property.

• Once e-scooters took off, the council's pilot program had some of the strictest rules in the country and only allowed them in the downtown core.

State of play: Phoenix's permanent policy allows the micro-vehicles in more places, but the city still has more rules than many other cities.

• Within the downtown core, riders must drop off the scooters in specified parking zones.
• Outside that area, riders have to use the built-in lock to fasten the device to a bike rack.

1 cool thing: The city is requiring Lime and Spin to deploy 30% of its scooters and bikes in "equity zones" in south and east Phoenix, where residents historically have had fewer transportation options.

• People who initiate rides in one of these zones will receive a discounted fare.