City staff lowers number of recommended permits for scooters and e-bikes in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – City staff has lowered the number of recommended permits for scooters and e-bikes.  John Jacks, center city development and operations director, is suggesting that 3 companies share 3,000 permits, instead of 5,000.

City Councilman Manny Pelaez is pleased with the lower number. He said his office has been inundated with complaints from area residents who would like to do away with the scooters.

“I think everyone of us has received those phone calls and been to those town halls where people expressed visceral dislike of these scooters,” Pelaez said at Wednesday’s city council briefing.

He did say they’re fun to ride, they serve a purpose and they’re convenient, but the district 9 councilman says there’s a role for city government “to make sure that disruptive technology serves the community and benefits everybody and that it doesn’t get too far out from under us.”

Mayor Ron Nirenberg says it’s been a long, difficult process since “scooters were dropped in the City of San Antonio” and the council was forced to deal with various issues.

“We did so, I think with eyes wide open, trying to deal with some pretty difficult issues regarding clutter, public safety, access for pedestrians and people of all abilities on our sidewalk infrastructure, which itself is inadequate,” said Nirenberg.  At one point, several companies were operating about 1,600 dockless vehicles.

City Council is scheduled to vote December 12 on scooter contracts with Lyft, Lime and Razor.