Equity Requirements in US Micromobility Programs Are on the Rise

Abstract

Cities may impose equity requirements on shared micromobility operators (bikeshare and shared e-scooters) to better reach underserved places and travelers. This research examines 243 shared micromobility programs in the US to ask: what share of programs include equity requirements? How prevalent are different types of requirements? And how have requirements evolved over time? We find that 70% of programs have at least one equity requirement, and the share of programs with requirements is increasing over time. The most common requirements include discount rides programs (35%), smartphone alternatives (33%), cash payments (33%), targeted outreach (33%), and equitable vehicle distribution (31%).