Several years back, Uber partnered with Lime to offer scooters for rent through the app.
In select cities, you will see this option when opening your Uber app.
Fulfilling the dreams of many to become uber drivers for a day.
Here’s all you need to know about Uber Scooters, including how to rent a scooter on-demand and how much it costs.
Does Uber Offer Scooters?
Yes, Uber has been offering scooters for some years through its partnership with Lime, a dockless scooter sharing company.
However, this service is only available in some cities, so you may not see it where you live.
You can rent an Uber scooter in cities like Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego, and Atlanta.
Uber Scooters are available in many other cities in North America and Europe.
What Are Uber Scooters Called?
Uber’s scooters are usually recognizable by their green color and Lime logo.
n some cities, the scooters might be red or orange and have the Jump logo, thanks to Uber acquiring Jump Scooters and using them in some cities.
About Uber Scooters
If you just started using Uber, or if you moved to a new place and suddenly noticed the Uber Scooters option in the app, or felt the desire to ride one by yourself (totally valid) here’s all you need to know about this awesome feature.
What Types of Uber Scooters are Available?
Uber only rents electric scooters.
These scooters have two wheels and no seat.
Uber users can unlock them with the Uber app, pay online, and park them anywhere.
It’s a fantastic transportation option because you don’t need to rely on an Uber driver to show up and take you somewhere.
Unlike motorized scooters, these scooters are safe for the environment.
In some cities, Uber may also offer electric bicycles.
These bicycles have two wheels and a seat.
Unlike regular bicycles, these bikes use electricity to assist you as you pedal.
Uber’s dockless bikes are also Lime or Jump bikes.
“Dockless” means you can park the vehicles anywhere, as opposed to needing to park them in select docks as other competitors require.
Of course, you can’t park them in the middle of city streets, only on sidewalks and other allowed places.
How Fast Do Uber Scooters Go?
Uber scooters can go up to 15 miles per hour (ca. 24 km/h), for 20 miles (ca. 32 km) or more.
The reason for that limit is that in many cities, the maximum speed limit for a scooter rider is 15mph.
However, realistically, your actual speed may be a bit less than that, unless you are maxing out the throttle.
Are Uber Scooters Street Legal?
Yes. If you are a scooter rider, you should be riding on the road as opposed to on sidewalks.
While some cities legally permit you to ride scooters on sidewalks, many others do not, as it may harm pedestrians.
Ultimately, it is up to scooter riders to follow local regulations.
For example, if your city does not allow riding on sidewalks, don’t do it.
You should always wear a helmet when riding an Uber scooter, for your safety.
You also don’t want to take a passenger with you, and always yield to pedestrians when they are crossing on sidewalks.
Stop at red lights and obey the rules of the road.
You know the rules.
How Much Do Uber Scooters Cost?
The cost of riding an Uber scooter varies based on your location, the demand, and the competition from other companies.
Generally, you can expect to pay a base price to unlock the scooter, and then a fee per minute.
Usually, Uber charges $1 to unlock a scooter and then 15 to 30 cents per minute.
So, if you make a 10-minute ride, it can cost anywhere from $2.50 to $4.
Pricing is always subject to change.
What to Expect From the Uber Scooter App
You can expect a fairly seamless experience.
Uber doesn’t have a separate app for scooters.
Instead, you can find the scooter option in the app, in locations where it is available.
You can find and unlock scooters easily and then pay with your card or PayPal account upon completion of the ride.
How to Use Uber Scooters
Using Uber Scooters the first time might involve a small learning curve, but people typically get the hang of it the first time, as it’s not that complicated.
Here’s exactly what you need to do.
First, you’ll need to select the scooter icon in the app.
You may see it as soon as you open the app, or you might see the “Lime Scooter” option when ordering a ride.
Unlocking a Scooter
First, you’ll need to unlock a scooter.
You can unlock any scooter you come across physically, or you can look on the map to see nearby scooters and reserve one before getting to it.
Whether you have reserved a specific scooter or are unlocking a random one, you can usually scan the QR code or barcode that’s on the scooter using the Uber app’s built-in code reader.
It takes just a second, and you will instantly unlock the scooter.
If that doesn’t work, you can also manually enter the six-digit ID that’s on the scooter in the app.
Riding the Scooter
Once you have unlocked the scooter, you can start riding it.
It might seem a bit unnatural if you’ve never used an e-scooter before, but it will feel like second nature within a few minutes.
I mean it’s a scooter, how could you not?
Use the right-hand lever or throttle to make the scooter go.
Press down on the lever on the left side to brake.
Don’t push the right lever down all the way right away.
Try to be smooth, applying power gradually until you reach a speed you are comfortable with.
You might need to kick-start the scooter using your other foot, kicking forward 1-3 times.
Similarly, don’t brake suddenly.
When pressing on the brakes, apply pressure slowly and smoothly.
Keep your eyes on the road, so you can see obstacles or dangers in advance, and start braking ahead of time.
Try to avoid sudden stops.
Always use the brakes to slow down.
If you are going fast, putting one foot down won’t be enough to get your scooter to stop, and it may cause you to get hurt.
When you are almost at a stop, use one foot to stabilize yourself.
When riding, wear a helmet.
Follow local traffic laws. Keep an eye out for pedestrians and other vehicles.
Don’t go faster than you are comfortable going.
Don’t ride on highways or other places where they don’t allow scooters.
Ending the Scooter Ride
You can end the scooter ride at any time.
Since they are dockless scooters, you can park them anywhere – almost anywhere, that is.
Avoid areas marked as no parking zones by your city.
Parking there may lead to a fine, especially if a police officer notices you.
Similarly, don’t park your scooter in a place where it would block accessibility ramps, store entrances, or bus stops.
To end your ride, click on End Ride in the app.
First, however, make sure to properly park the scooter, with the kickstand down, so it doesn’t fall over.
Troubleshooting: Why Can’t I See Scooters on My Uber App?
If you can’t see the scooter option in your Uber app, Uber Scooters is probably not available in your city.
Even if it was previously available, Uber might have moved out of the area and removed its scooters from the streets.
Or, you may be in a different part of the city, outside the city limits.
If you see the Uber Scooters option, but no scooters are showing up on the map, you may have an internet connectivity problem.
Close the Uber app, and turn airplane mode on and off.
Then, try again.
You may also restart your phone.
You may also have your GPS location turned off.
If Uber can’t see where you are, you may not see scooters on the app.
If the location is on, go to the Apps section in your phone settings, select Uber, and see whether you have denied it access to your location in the Permissions section.
If the scooter you reserved no longer appears in the app, and you can’t find it on the street, the reservation may have expired, and someone else might have started using it.
Look for another scooter.
Finally, if nothing works, you can also try Lyft Scooters.
Lyft allows you to book and ride scooters in select cities, just like Uber, and it works pretty much the same way.
You really don’t want to miss this opportunity.
Final Thoughts
Uber Scooters provide a convenient and straightforward way to get around town, especially when you only need to go a few blocks quickly.
While the scooters aren’t as fast as cars, you may be able to skip traffic by riding past four-wheeled vehicles, as long as that is legal in your city.
In many cities, there are always scooters within a minute walk, saving you a lot of time compared to ordering a regular ride with Uber.
You also don’t have to worry about the driver canceling on you.
If you are social-distancing, using an Uber scooter is an awesome option to consider.
