7.4 18-0732 Subject: Shared Mobility Update and Dockless Bike and Scooter Share Policy
From: Councilmembers Kaplan, Gallo, McElhaney And The Department Of Transportation
Recommendation: Adopt An Ordinance Amending Title 10 And Title 12.08 Of The Oakland Municipal Code To Establish Regulations And New Permits To Operate And Park Dockless Bike And Scooter Sharing Programs In The Public Right Of Way
As Chair of the Greater Rockridge NCPC I must express my opposition to this ordinance as it does not provide sufficient guidance to the Administrator as to penalties to the companies for their customers' non-compliance with the law. Since OPD can't possibly enforce the traffic laws for the number of scooters that we have, and don't enforce them for bicycles, we must hold the companies responsible for all violations. If we do that they will come up with techniques to make it happen or go out of business. Citizens should be able to report violations, e.g. riding on sidewalk, to the City (via pictures?) and the company should be fined for each violation. Better: the companies should be required to provide an app that citizens can use to report violations and identify the rented vehicle via its GPS location. The company can then try to recover the fine from their user, but they would still be on the hook for it.
As Chair of the Greater Rockridge NCPC I must express my opposition to this ordinance as it does not provide sufficient guidance to the Administrator as to penalties to the companies for their customers' non-compliance with the law. Since OPD can't possibly enforce the traffic laws for the number of scooters that we have, and don't enforce them for bicycles, we must hold the companies responsible for all violations. If we do that they will come up with techniques to make it happen or go out of business. Citizens should be able to report violations, e.g. riding on sidewalk, to the City (via pictures?) and the company should be fined for each violation. Better: the companies should be required to provide an app that citizens can use to report violations and identify the rented vehicle via its GPS location. The company can then try to recover the fine from their user, but they would still be on the hook for it.