Episode 17 - Regulating Bird Scooters in Nashville

Nashville Sounding Board

In this episode, I spoke with Councilmembers Jeremy Elrod and Angie Henderson to discuss the status of e-scooters in Nashville. Councilman Elrod has introduced legislation to regulate e-scooters and other vehicles in the space. We discussed the utility of the scooters and dockless bikes, associated risks and problems, how this regulation attempt compares to AirBnb, and more. KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION: - Scooters/bikes shall not be operated upon a sidewalk within a business district. Whenever operating on a sidewalk, the user shall yield to any pedestrian - Any scooter parked in any one location for more than 2 days without moving may be removed by Public Works at the expense of the company. - Helmet use is encouraged while riding. - Companies must have at least $1,000,000 in automobile insurance and $2,000,000 in commercial general liability insurance. - Companies must provide Metro with detailed data on a regular basis - An operator can ramp up their fleet over 6 months (Up to 400 during first 2 months; 800 in 3rd and 4th months; 1,200 in 5th and 6th months; and beyond 1,200 with approval after 6 months). {You can read the latest version of the ordinance here: http://jeremyelrod26.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ordinance-1202-Second-Substitute-and-Amendments.pdf} Nashville Sounding Board is a podcast dedicated to discussing social and political issues affecting Middle Tennessee. www.nashvillesoundingboard.com www.facebook.com/NashvilleSoundingBoard www.twitter.com/NashSoundBoard NSB is produced by Benjamin Eagles Interview has been edited for length and clarity. Music: "State of Mind" by Audiobinger is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License. www.audiobinger.net/