In urban areas around the United States, there is an increasing number of commuters who are electing to ride bikes and e-scooters to get around their city. With gas prices continuing to rise and the availability of micromobility options growing by the day, more people than ever are giving up their cars in exchange for a different way to travel. While the numbers continue to trend upward, studies have shown that when it comes to bicycling on roads, between 40 to 60% of people have a low-stress tolerance. This group has been broadly referenced as “interested but concerned,” which means that they may ride a bike, but only if they feel safe.
City planners and leadership have been responding in recent years to the growing need to create safe commuting paths, but there is still a lot of work to be done. While many earmarked resources and planning efforts have gone toward improving roads, bike paths, and increasing signage to address safety issues, there remain critical problems that must be addressed to keep commuters safe. Perhaps the most critical – especially for new riders – is finding a safe path before leaving the house. Without knowing how to navigate their city safely, many would-be riders continue to use their car simply because they are afraid to do anything else.
ScootRoute is partnering with city leaders across the United States to address this fundamental problem. In collaboration with major cities, they are changing the way that micromobility is viewed, making it safer for every commuter by offering riding routes designed specifically for bikes, scooters, and their electric counterparts that travel under 30 mph.
While mapping technology like Google Maps and Waze are useful for commuters, there has never been a mapping program that is built exclusively for micromobility. Using their groundbreaking technology, ScootRoute makes it safer for riders to find the best routes to work and around the city. ScootRoute is designed by riders for riders, highlighting paths that take into account everything a rider might encounter along the way.
Users can input specific areas they want to avoid – they can choose the fastest, most straightforward route, they can avoid major streets and construction, and even choose the routes that will avoid hills and climbs. One of the innovations of ScootRoute is that it can also guide commuters on shared e-bikes and e-scooters around “no-ride zones.”
In many major cities, especially in downtown areas, there are dedicated areas where eBikes are either intentionally slowed down or shut off, making it impossible for riders to move through the area. ScootRoute suggests alternative routes, allowing commuters to move safely and comfortably anywhere in the city.
Similar partnerships between city leaders and tech companies have already led to considerable success in Europe. Tier, the largest micromobility operator in Europe, partnered with Beeline to provide navigation within the Tier app for e-scooter riders. According to a poll of Beeline users, just under 80% said that since using the Beeline app or device, they have felt safer while riding their bike. A recent article on the partnership said, “Tier and Beeline share a vision of enabling as many people as possible to travel on two wheels in a safe and convenient way. That’s why our routing technology can be found on the Tier e-scooter app, so people can benefit from quieter and safer routes.”
As ScootRoute works in collaboration with major American cities to create safe riding routes for commuters, more riders will feel safe and confident to ride to work, knowing that ScootRoute will guide them to safety every time.
To learn more about ScootRoute, visit www.scootroute.com.
