E-scooter season kicks off in Ottawa

Electric scooter season has returned to Ottawa a month early.

Neuron Mobility, one of the companies operating the vehicles in Ottawa, says they are now back on city streets for a fourth year.

Hours have also been extended: riders will be able to hop on and off between 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.

This is the fourth year the city has taken part in the provincial pilot project, and Neuron says since 2021, its e-scooters have travelled over 520,000 kilometres around Ottawa.

The company says 41 per cent of all trips also replaced a journey by car, reducing an estimated 35 tonnes in CO2 emissions.

Neuron Mobility is also encouraging riders to visit its online ScootSafe Academy to earn free credits, and familiarize themselves with riding rules.

You can book a trip through the company’s app: it costs $1.15 to unlock the e-scooter and $0.42 per minute to ride.

The e-scooters will be available to rent until November 15th, at which point the existing pilot project expires.

City staff have said it is up to the province to extend it, but a city memo earlier this month said they have initiated the process of extending contracts with Neuron Mobility and Bird Canada.

Rules to scoot

• must be 16 years old and above
• Those under 18 need consent from a parent or a legal guardian
• Helmets are mandatory for riders under 18 and strongly recommended for all users
• You can ride e-scooters in city bike lanes, multi-use trails, pathways, and streets that have a speed limit of 50km/hr or lower. Always stay as far right as is safe
• The speed limit for e-scooters is 20km/hr or 12km/hr in designated ‘slow zones’
• Riding on sidewalks is not permitted
• One rider per e-scooter and no tandem riding. Do not ride with children.
• Always keep a safe distance from and give way to pedestrians and mobility devices such as wheelchairs
• Do not ride under the influence of alcohol or other substances
• Be aware and remove earphones
• Follow local parking guidelines