BALTIMORE, MD (June 21, 2023) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) Interim Director Corren Johnson announced that the city has awarded its newest Dockless Vehicle Permits. This will be the 4th round of permits since the e-scooter and e-bike permit program launched in 2019. The dockless permits have been awarded to Spin and LINK by Superpedestrian.

“As we begin another year of dockless vehicle operations in the city, we are committed to providing equitable and accessible transportation options for the residents of Baltimore,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “Shared mobility has become an intricate part of our transportation system as we continue to integrate creative solutions for improved mobility citywide.”

The city’s dockless program was launched in the summer of 2018 as a pilot initiative and has become an integral part of Baltimore’s transportation infrastructure. With a dockless vehicle-sharing program, electric scooters and bicycles can be conveniently rented throughout the city as a fun and sustainable travel method. Dockless scooters and bikes are equipped with GPS technology to quickly locate, rent, and park through a smartphone app or text-to-unlock plan. BCDOT has launched a parking “corral” program by painting parking spots for dockless vehicles across the city where riders receive discounts for courteous parking. 

In Baltimore City, an average of 105,000 trips are taken with dockless vehicles each month. Almost 6 million trips have been taken on dockless vehicles since late 2019, often replacing trips that would have been taken in motor vehicles.

The new dockless permits were issued after the annual revisions to the Rules and Regulations, along with a 30-day public comment period. The regulations allow BCDOT to decide whether one, two, or three dockless vehicle permits best serve the city. After reviewing e-scooter and e-bike ridership, existing permit holder performance, and program operations, BCDOT offered two permits.

Spin and LINK by Superpedestrian are current permit holders and operated in Baltimore City during the 2022-2023 permit year. They were offered permit renewals because they did not receive any citations during this time, and their compliance with program regulations demonstrates genuine commitment to the city.

The two companies selected provide unique services:

• Spin was awarded the first permit renewal in 2022 as a result of permit compliance and community rankings. Spin will continue to serve Baltimore City with their e-scooters and e-bikes branded in dark orange.
• LINK by Superpedestrian will continue to serve Baltimore City with e-scooters, seated e-scooters, and adaptive vehicles for people with special mobility needs. Their vehicles are branded with fluorescent yellow.

“The BCDOT continues its mission of providing alternative and sustainable transportation options for residents throughout the city,” said Interim Director Corren Johnson. “This year’s dockless vehicle providers have proven performance records in Baltimore and offer various shared mobility options for equitable and accessible transportation.” 

Under the new operating permit, companies will abide by the revised Rules and Regulations developed by BCDOT and its partners. These regulations affect fleet size, parking requirements, equity zones and distribution, rider education, equity of access, safety and vehicle standards, and data reporting formats. The awarded permits become active on July 1, 2023, and will expire on June 30, 2024.

The permit rules, public comment report, and additional information can be viewed at https://transportation.baltimorecity.gov/bike-baltimore/dockless-vehicles.

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