Since 2019, the City of Eugene has been creating a shared e-scooter partnership that is now in full force for a one-year pilot program. 

As a way to minimize community fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions, the city partnered with Superpedestrian — an electric scooter transportation company — to place e-scooters around Eugene, according to the city website. 

The city chose this pilot program in order to achieve further city goals of safety, sustainability and equity, City of Eugene Transportation Planner Karen Mason said.

Mason said the application Superpedestrian submitted demonstrated a commitment to the program’s core values of safety, sustainability and equity more than other popular scooter services. 

Mason said Superpedestrian was willing to collaborate with Cascadia Mobility, the company that operates the PeaceHealth Rides bike share. 

UO and the PeaceHealth bike program already have an established partnership with the city of Eugene and the Lane Transit District, according to UO spokesperson Angela Seydel. 

The e-scooters can reach speeds up to 15 miles per hour and have parking zones located around the UO campus and in downtown Eugene, according to Seydel.  The scooters are available 24/7 and cost two dollars to unlock with a rental fee of 39 cents per minute. 

For PeaceHealth, the UO plan is $8 per month, allowing 60 minutes of free ride time each day. Any time over that, the app charges ten cents per minute. 

Seydel said UO Transportation Services will evaluate how the pilot goes before considering funding student discounts. 

Madeline Thomason, a junior at UO, said she thinks the scooter promotes inclusivity.

“They’re electric scooters, so you do not have to power them at all. So if you can’t pedal a bike with your legs then I think the scooters would be good for that,” Thomason said.  

However, Thomason said she thinks the lack of a UO discount makes students and faculty more likely to use the PeaceHealth bikes. Students, faculty and staff are able to access the UO pricing plans through PeaceHealth Rides with their UO email.

Mason said the UO is a partner with the city’s micro-mobility plan, which is working to increase the amount of self-service transportation on campus. To provide a student discount, the UO must pay for the service directly. 

“If the program is successful we will continue to work with the UO, including ASUO and the Transportation Department to determine if we can create a student rate,” Mason said.