Comment on Dockless Bike and Scooter Share 2020 Terms and Conditions
Testimony from:
Nicholas Zaiac, Transportation and Infrastructure Policy Fellow, R Street Institute
Comment on Dockless Bike and Scooter Share 2020 Terms and Conditions (T&C) 2020
October 7, 2019
District Department of Transportation
Chairman and members of the committee,
My name is Nicholas Zaiac. I’m a transportation and infrastructure policy fellow at the R Street Institute, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C. I would like to submit the following comment on Article II D. 3 of the Dockless Bike and Scooter Share 2020 Terms and Conditions (T&C) 2020 rulemaking.
Capping the number of vehicles in the central business district (CBD) at 1000 vehicles at all times runs contrary to the city’s goal of managing congestion and limiting safety-degrading conflict between travelers. A more flexible option would cap the number of vehicles in proportion to the number of vehicle parking spaces in the CBD, such that any increase in downtown car parking would be accompanied by an increase in non-car vehicle availability.
Research remains to be done on whether scooter trips complement or substitute for car trips. Should they be complements, this would allow the number of scooters to grow with new demand from downtown workers. Should they be substitutes, any increase in the stock of parking would coincide with an increase in scooter availability to partially counteract negative spillover effects from new car trips the spaces facilitate.
Thank you for your time.
Nicholas Zaiac
Transportation and Infrastructure Policy Fellow
R Street Institute
717-553-4906
nickzaiac@gmail.com
