Mobile, Ala. — The City of Mobile is looking to enhance the user experience, provide more options for riders and improve safety, while also expanding the footprint of Lime scooters through a multi-year extension of the original three-year franchise agreement with the company that began in 2023.

The city listened to citizen feedback and worked with Lime to improve access to the short-distance transportation platform, while also improving safety measures and helping to keep sidewalks clear. The agreement would result in a larger operational nexus for the scooters and would allow Lime to place seated scooters outside of the downtown area to further enhance affordable, flexible transportation options across the city. The seated scooters, which will be placed at popular bus stops, will serve as a critical first-mile, last-mile connector to the larger public transit network.

“I’m thrilled to continue the city’s successful relationship with Lime,” Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis said. “This agreement allows Lime to expand access and add assets that will benefit Mobilians, but also takes residents’ concerns into account. It is truly a win-win for Lime, for our city, and, most importantly, for the citizens. With improved access to transportation, everybody wins and I’m excited to begin this new era with Lime. They’ve been a joy to work with throughout the process and I’m very pleased with the results.”

The agreement renewal would also result in the future placement of shared, pedal-assist bicycles in parks throughout the city, especially along the Three Mile Creek Greenway Trail. Meant for more than just recreation, the expansion of service is designed to help connect residents and visitors to everyday destinations, like jobs, restaurants, local attractions and much more.

As part of the agreement’s new terms, Lime will limit the top speed of the scooters to 8 miles per hour. The scooters will also feature a training mode that limits the maximum speed to 5 miles per hour to allow riders to get more comfortable Lime is also partnering with the city to provide new parking corrals, both virtually and through hard infrastructure. Both the physical and virtual parking solutions will help better organize the scooters and improve access to sidewalks. Lime has also agreed to pick up and redistribute the scooters daily, which will help create a more predictable and orderly riding experience.

“We’re proud to continue our partnership with the City of Mobile and build on the momentum
we’ve seen from riders. This renewal marks an exciting next chapter as we transition to a
multimodal program with the introduction of shared, seated e-scooters,” Lime Senior Operations Manager Joel Atzenhoffer said. “By expanding transportation choices, we can continue the driving mode shift and provide more accessible, affordable, and carbon-free first-and-last-mile options for residents and visitors across Mobile. From seated scooters to new parking corrals and rider education efforts, we remain committed to helping more people get around Mobile safely and sustainably.”

Riders must be at least 18 years old and only a single rider is allowed on a vehicle at a time. Riders must follow the rules of the road, use bike lanes when available, yield to pedestrians, stay alert while riding and obey traffic signals and signs. Lime and the city will continue working together to promote safe riding and proper parking behavior, along with updates to the approved operational zones to encourage sustainability of Lime as a city-offered amenity to citizens and visitors alike.