CO: Greeley’s east side welcomes e-bikes and e-scooters as part of city’s micromobility pilot

When it comes to getting around, the city of Greeley wants to give its residents options.

The city added a couple more options Monday, with the addition of 50-80 rentable e-scooters and e-bikes on the east side of the city.

“Really, we just want to increase transportation choice here in the community … providing a new mobility option,” transportation planner Hanna Feldmann said. “That being said, we really want to add shared micromobility in an incremental and responsible manner. That’s why we’re conducting this program in a pilot study.”

Micromobility refers to small, low-speed transportation devices. Shared micromobility just means they are available for everyone to use.

The e-scooters and e-bikes — which are available on a trial basis before the city evaluates whether the program makes sense long term — should be around until at least December 2025. Though they are starting with a limited number of devices, that number may jump to as many as 200 bikes and scooters once spring rolls around, Feldmann said.

City officials said they don’t have exact numbers regarding device usage to determine whether or not the pilot succeeds, instead keeping an eye on national and statewide averages.

“The National Association of Bikeshare and Scootershare estimates that a market of our size should expect approximately .75 to one trip per vehicle per day as an indication of a healthy market,” Feldmann said. “And if you look at shared micromobility markets across the state, there’s a range of about .5 to 3.15 vehicle trips per day.”

If the devices aren’t getting as much use as anticipated, Spin will either redistribute them to other locations or reduce the number of devices. If they are used more than expected, the city also has the option to add more.

Along with that data, the city will conduct additional outreach following the pilot period. This will involve not only residents but also key partners such as the University of Northern Colorado and the Downtown Development Authority.

“We’re trying to take an iterative approach and really try to get lessens learned,” Feldmann said of the pilot period. “I think we’ll have some very valuable lessons learned this winter.”

Feldmann noted UNC and the Downtown Development Authority as key partners because the pilot is focused on downtown and around UNC’s campus.

“We really identified UNC and the downtown area as a key starting area,” Feldmann said. “And that’s because we see the need for micromobility is higher in those areas.”

Though focused on those areas, the devices — provided by Spin, a San Francisco-based micromobility company — will be available from 35th Avenue to the railroad tracks between the U.S. 34 Bypass and 4th or 5th streets, depending on the area.

When a device reaches the boundary, it will warn the rider to turn around, then slowly power down. The app will then not allow the rider to complete the ride until they return to the approved area.

The city can also set specific “no parking zones,” such as entrances to businesses, so riders can pass through those areas but not leave the device in a spot that inconveniences others.

The program, which was slated to begin as early as July, was delayed for a handful of reasons, Feldmann said, citing additional research and outreach, as well as balancing this pilot with other projects the department is working toward. It also came down to making sure the city and UNC were on the same page and working toward the same goals with the micromobility options.

“We didn’t want to rush the program and have a lesser-quality outcome,” Feldmann said. “But we feel pretty confident with where we’re at in terms of our piloting phase at this point.”

The city also hopes the addition of the bikes and scooters will increase the likelihood of people taking other forms of public transit as well.

“We want to have what’s called integrated mobility, which is essentially where you can seamlessly use different transportation options to get where you need to go in the way that makes the most sense for you as a Greeley resident,” Feldmann said.

That means, in theory, completing the majority of a trip on a bus, then closing the last leg out with a bike or scooter. Or vice versa.

“Like 70% of micromobility users have taken it in tandem with transit,” Feldmann said. “So it really helps create more accessibility to transit stops. Maybe normally, you wouldn’t walk to a transit stop because it’s a mile. But if there’s a scooter you can jump on that you don’t have to bring on the bus, that can be a little more convenient.”

People can report any problems — such as devices parked incorrectly or any issues that arise while renting — through the Spin app or at [email protected].

Feldmann said Spin is expected to respond in about an hour to any issues reported in Greeley.

If riders fail to lock the device when finished, Spin will contact them and hand down penalties on a three-strike basis:

• Strike 1: Inform the rider of the violation and warn them of penalties for repeat offenders
• Strike 2: A $25 fine
• Strike 3: Account suspension

Riders who have been suspended can take Spin’s safety quiz. If they score 100%, they can have their account reactivated.

For more information on Greeley’s micromobility pilot, go to SpeakUpGreeley.com/Micromobility-Pilot.

How to ride

To use one of the new e-scooters or e-bikes, users must first download the Spin App and enter payment information. Then, users can find a nearby bike or scooter on the app. The app then provides instructions on how to start and end the ride.

The devices cost $1 to unlock, plus 35 cents per mile ridden. There are also hourly passes, multi-day passes, weekly passes and monthly passes.

UNC students and city of Greeley employees will automatically receive a 50% discount on trips if they sign up for Spin with the city or university email domains.

Spin also offers access pricing — which is 70% off — for users with an income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, or roughly around $48,500 for a single household. A complete list of prices is available at tinyurl.com/yc5cec52.

To sign up for Spin Access, go to Spin.App/Spin-Access.

If riders don’t have a smartphone, there is also a text-based system to unlock scooters. When applying for Spin access on the website, select “No” when asked if you have a smartphone to run the app. Once approved, find an e-bike or e-scooter and find the vehicle number, usually beneath the QR code. Text “unlock” and the vehicle number to 206-800-6703. To lock the vehicle and end the ride, text “lock” to the same number.

If you have limited internet access, call 1-888-262-5189 to get the application process started.

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