What’s new?
Beginning May 23, locals can ride any of the 500 moped-style multimodal vehicles available throughout the city, each capable of reaching speeds up to 15 mph.
Austin was among the first cities Lime actively sought community input on this new vehicle, according to a news release. Much of this feedback mirrored riders’ desire for greater accessibility and ease of use for a wider range of riders—particularly women and older riders, the release states.
The Glider is built for riders who may find long periods of pedaling challenging, as well as those seeking a more comfortable alternative to car travel. With the citywide launch, Gliders will enable longer trips and broaden access to car-free transportation options.
The company said it continues to collaborate with the city of Austin to further the city’s goal of enhancing micromobility infrastructure and sustainability objectives—such as adding protected bike lanes, designated scooter parking areas and safer street designs.
“Austin is already a leading micromobility city in North America, and it still has untapped potential to further enhance the experience for riders and for all road users– with a renewed focus on accessibility.” Carol Antúnez, Senior Manager of Government Relations at Lime, said in a statement. “... We’re grateful to the city for its embrace of sustainable transportation and we look forward to continuing to deepen the partnership we have built together over the years.”
Riders can unlock the electric micromobility vehicles through the Lime app for $1, plus $0.39 per minute thereafter.
A closer look
Lime riders have taken over 14 million rides in Austin since launching in 2018, covering more than 13 million miles and marking Austin's place as a top micromobility destination worldwide, according to the company.
Austin has grappled with micromobility regulations for years since the devices first hit city streets in the late 2010s. After some scooter operators exited the Austin market in 2023, only two—Bird and Lime—remain.
The city has capped their fleet sizes and introduced several new rules like lowered speed limits, and required staging areas to keep the vehicles from cluttering public spaces.
Hundreds of Austinites participated in the city’s recent survey about e-scooter use in town and their responses pointed to some scooter riders being unsure of where to park their devices after a ride. More than half said they weren’t aware of new “parking boxes”—marked spaces on the ground where devices can be left—and about three-fourths said they’d never used those spaces.
Items worth mentioning
The Lime app now includes enhanced safety alerts, parking guidance and compliance tools, according to the company. Lime has also adjusted in-app messaging to make parking guidelines clearer for riders.
Additionally, Lime said the company is testing a new AI technology tool to gauge proper parking compliance with city standards.
Ben Thompson contributed to this article.
