E-bike and e-scooter program beginning in Waterloo Region
Waterloo Region – A new e-scooter and e-bike share program is rolling out in Waterloo Region, starting April 14. In its first year, the program will include up to 500 e-bikes and 500 e-scooters for community members to rent until the end of October.
The Region of Waterloo, along with the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, have selected Neuron Mobility to run the e-scooter and e-bike share program. The program will provide a new environmentally sustainable travel choice for residents, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage active transportation in our community.
Neuron was selected for its strong track record of partnering with cities and its leadership when it comes to safety. All vehicles are equipped with helmets and technology to detect and restrict sidewalk riding.
The first vehicles for community members to use will be located at virtual stations in the downtown areas of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, and near transit stations. Available vehicles will gradually increase after April 14 and will be stationed in about 150 different locations.
Riders can download Neuron’s mobile app from the App Store or Google Play and get set up to ride in a matter of minutes. The app can also be used to locate available vehicles. For more information on the program, visit www.rideneuron.com/canada. For rules for riding and how-to-ride information, visit scootsafe.com and select Waterloo Region.
Quotes:
“Part of creating a liveable community is providing more sustainable, convenient and accessible transportation options like e-bikes and e-scooters for our residents. This shared program not only helps achieve the Region of Waterloo’s climate change goals, but it also supports the expansion of multi-modal transportation within our community and an interconnected transportation network,” said Colleen James, Region of Waterloo Councillor and Chair of the Planning and Works Committee.
“The new e-scooter and e-bike share program will transform how people move throughout the city. The program leverages our investments in trail upgrades, bike lanes, and the Downtown Kitchener cycling grid,” said Berry Vrbanovic, City of Kitchener Mayor. “In addition to giving people more transportation options, the program has the potential of helping us meet our climate action goals and reduce traffic congestion by replacing car trips with other modes of transportation.”
“E-bikes and e-scooters are game-changing mobility devices. For people with or without a vehicle, e-bikes can be used on the bike lanes and the e-scooters can be used in combination with bike lanes and trails, the LRT and buses to reduce single-person, short distance car trips. I encourage people 16+ to try these devices and discover how easy it is to get around our community on two wheels,” said Dorothy McCabe, City of Waterloo Mayor.
“We are delighted to have been chosen to provide e-scooters and e-bikes in the Region of Waterloo as part of Canada’s largest single operator micromobility program – we thank the participating cities for their trust and support. Our vehicles are a great way for locals as well as tourists to travel in a safe, convenient and environmentally-friendly way,” said Ankush Karwal, Head of Market for Canada at Neuron Mobility. “Safety is our top priority, it dictates how our vehicles are designed and also the way we operate them. Our e-scooters and e-bikes are packed with a range of cutting-edge safety features and we know from experience in other cities that riders really appreciate this.”
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