The U.S. dockless mobility market first started in 2016 with dockless bike-sharing. Dockless bike-share quickly spread across the U.S, as it made it easier for local government agencies to provide alternative modes of transportation for their communities. Because the dockless mobility is a relatively new and evolving market, it is important for the Town to pass regulations to establish controls and measures for dockless mobility providers to follow by to ensure their operations are in line with community goals. From its inception, many cities have experienced the pitfalls of dockless mobility, by not properly regulating the use and licensing of municipal rights-of-way for the staging and use of dockless mobility. Participating cities have suffered from the plight of bike or scooter litter, safety risks, and lack of control over operations of dockless mobility providers and the placement of dockless mobility on rights-of-way.

Despite the challenges that dockless mobility may create, dockless mobility offers many benefits to participating communities, such as providing the means of alternate transportation, reducing the dependency on motor vehicles, promoting health and physical activity, and serving as a first and last mile solution for transit riders. Accordingly, to provide Town residents the benefits of dockless mobility and address the potential challenges that dockless mobility may create, the proposed ordinance outlines equipment standards for dockless mobility units, regulations on motorized scooters, proper parking of dockless mobility units, fleet size, maintenance and operations, data sharing, and contractual terms for operating within the Town's rights-of-way. This will allow the Town to offer dockless mobility to our residents while addressing the challenges that these transportation alternatives may create.

Finally, and of significance, dockless mobility aligns with the Town's Strategic Plan Priority Area 1: Enhance Vehicular and Non-Vehicular Mobility and Strategic Area 6: Innovation. Since November 2017, the Town has worked with two bike-share companies, Spin and Lime and within that period the Town's dockless mobility program has completed over 11,000 trips within Miami Lakes. Both vendors have transitioned away from the bike sharing model to scooters. The City of Coral Gables recently adopted its own ordinance allowing scooter use within city limits. As such, it is suggested that the Town adopt an Ordinance to allow and regulate dockless mobility within the Town's rights-of-way.