Source: Smart Cities World Image source: Kyler Nixon, Unsplash

Travellers in the Canadian city of Calgary can enjoy free 10-minute trips on shared e-scooter and e-bike trips from select Calgary Transit stations, after the awarding of new five-year permits for micromobility schemes.

The programme follows a 2023 pilot of a similar scheme, conducted over a four-month period and based at three light rail transit (LRT) stations.

Operators Bird Canada and Neuron will between them operate the scheme from eight LRT stations, where dedicated parking spaces for the shared devices have been established to minimise clutter and enable easy pick-up and drop-off by transit customers. Both operators require end-of-trip photos to be submitted, to ensure ramps and sidewalks are not blocked.

Andrew Sedor, the City of Calgary mobility initiatives leader, said, “The pilot customer survey data suggested that more than 70% of users reported that having free e-scooters and e-bikes at the station increased their use of Calgary Transit, and that it saved time and increased the convenience of using transit.”

“We learned from the pilot that customers needed dedicated spaces at the stations to pick up and drop off the devices. We want to avoid any e-bikes or e-scooters blocking pedestrian paths or transit operations.”

Riders will use the operators’ apps to access the free 10-minute trips, and after the free segment of a longer trip, regular fees will apply.