Timeline

DecoBike docked pedal bike scheme starts.

Travis Vander Zanden tries out motorized scooters on Mission Beach boardwalk with friends.

Bird motorized scooters for rent appear on sidewalks in San Diego.

City Refuses to enforce regulations prohibiting encroachment of sidewalks and running unpermitted business from sidewalks.

Bird is reported to have initiated their Save Our Sidewalks pledge of $1 per scooter to be donated to each city in which they operate to build more bike lanes. A public records request later reveals no donated money was received by the City of San Diego.

CM Zapf (D2) Calls for Mayor to craft emergency ordinance banning scooters from MB boardwalk. Proposed ordinance rejected by Council.

 Safe Walkways group formed on Facebook.

CM Bry & Gomez working group works on a new SMD ordinance.

Safe Walkways testimony to numerous meetings of Council.

Assembly Member Todd Gloria and D3 Council Member Chris Ward attend and promote Bird's announcement of their Community Program to address safety issues affecting pedestrians. The public was told that this would enable the reporting of dangerous driving such as driving on sidewalks, but it didn't.

Scooter companies make presentations to Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee.

Mayor Faulconer announces his dept. will develop the SMD ordinance, replacing CMs Bry and Gomez. Consideration of the proposals is transferred from Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee to the Active Transportation & Infrastructure committee.

DecoBike Scheme ends

Safe Walkways publishes paper on Carbon Footprint Impact of Scooter rental industry in SD. 

Disability Rights California class-action lawsuit against City and Scooter companies filed.

Safe Walkways presentation to Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee on ticketing illegally parked scooters and geofencing needed for streets that are illegal for motorized scooters.

Mission Beach Town Council proposes City ban scooters from boardwalk. MB residents hold protest on boardwalk in support.

California Assembly Member Todd Gloria writes letter to City with recommendations for SMD ordinance.

City Council considers Mayor Faulconer's proposed ordinance to regulate Shared Mobility Device companies in San Diego. This will establish a permitting scheme, require indemnification by the companies against City liability and require data to be provided to the City. It also legitimizes the use of sidewalks for staging and parking outside of downtown.

Second reading by Council of Mayor's proposed ordinance governing SMD companies.

County of SD Grand Jury report published.

City of SD SMD ordinance starts.

1st. 6mo permit period starts. 22,000 scooters requested and allocated.

City impounds thousands of scooters during Comic-con

City fines for blocking street sweeping start.

City of SD submits response to CGJ report.

City passes ordinance to ban motorized vehicles on MB boardwalk.

Citizens meet with Mayor's staff to discuss update to SMD ordinance. No update is proposed to Council. No update is made.

DRC class-action lawsuit - scooter companies removed.

2nd 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 11,500.

Sweep 5-year contract starts: $540,000/yr for 2 teams 14h / day 7 days / week

City stops fines for blocking street sweeping.

COVID restrictions imposed on public gatherings. Hospitality businesses close.

Scooter trips drop.

Scooter trips recovering.

3rd 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 6,500.

Scooter trips recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Elections for Mayor and Council held. Todd Gloria elected Mayor.

City ceases to produce Weekly Scooter Metric report.

Todd Gloria takes office as Mayor of San Diego, replacing Kevin Faulconer.

Members of Council take office.

As the ordinance governing SMD companies has not been updated, as the public was promised in 2019, Safe Walkways publishes its own proposed ordinance update.

4th 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 11,500.

Director Muto presents RFP and MC change proposals to AT&I committee for approval. Not approved. Committee requests proposals to get scooters off sidewalks and account for the full cost of the SMD industry on the City.

City contractor Sweep impounds one scooter per day on average.

5th 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 14,500.

City fines for blocking street sweeping re-start.

 Safe Walkways presents GET SCOOTERS OFF WALKWAYS petition to Mayor. 

Sweep impounds 15 scooters.

City RFP for SMD service published

Safe Walkways Presents RFP Action Requests to Council, Mayor and Director of S&M dept. 

 6th 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = unknown.

Deadline for RFP proposals.

End of 6th permitting period. Possible start of RFP contracts with selected SMD companies.