Before Cities Can Enforce Multimodal Policies, They Need Good Data
Movement through cities is becoming more multimodal — taking the form of bikes, scooters, trams and more — and the management of these transportation options is becoming more complex, driven by a relentless supply of data.
Increasingly, cities are partnering with private mobility providers — like Bird scooters or Jump bikes — to operate services that can offer both cheap transportation and help to get cars off of already clogged streets. As part of these partnerships, city officials are requiring bikes, scooters and others to help them achieve intrinsic city goals around topics like equity, sustainability or safety.
“I think it’s really important to see cities leverage those partnerships to achieve the local goals,” said Paul Supawanich, head of mobility policy at Remix, a San Francisco-based software technology firm specializing in transportation. “I don’t think it’s enough for a city to say, ‘Yeah, we want to permit these things and allow them just to exist.’ I think cities should be treating them as just another level to help them achieve those broader livability, economic development types of goals.”
Cities like San Francisco, Columbus, Ohio, and others are requiring that e-scooter operators place the devices in underserved or economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Meanwhile, nearly all cities are being explicit in their demands that scooters and bikes do not block sidewalks, doorways, parking spots and other areas in the public space.
To achieve these goals, companies like Remix are stepping in and suggesting they can help enforce rules and maintain oversight. By gathering location data from scooter, bike-share or other sources like public APIs, Remix is able to present key pieces of data to city transportation departments in real-time to allow officials to see what devices are in demand, where they are being used and whether they are available to disadvantaged or other communities.
“[Cities] are overseeing a private company who is helping them achieve their goals.
