Smartphone-connected rental scooters are all the rage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While the scooters have been appearing all over the country recently, they’ve really taken off in this city.
According to current estimates, there are around 1,200 scooters in the streets right now, with another 800 planned to come. Collectively, Fort Lauderdale’s scooters have racked up about 40,000 rides from residents and tourists alike.
City officials, such as spokeswoman Dayana Diaz, have put their support behind the project in the hopes of making travel around the city easier and cheaper. “The idea is to be able to get around short distances without needing a vehicle, you don’t need to worry about finding parking,” she said. “It’s easy to get around and get in and out of tight areas.” Visitors to the city have found the scooters to be a fun novelty of travel, while locals have enjoyed not having to walk as much.
Scooter startups are popping up all over southern Florida, with Miami being one of the major recipients.
