Lime scooter ridership booming; 1 million rides reported in Chicago this year

The San Francisco-based company attributes part of the boom to the equity discount offered on the South and West sides.

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LeAaron Foley, director of government relations at Lime, with one of his company’s electric scooters outside City Hall in October 2021.

LeAaron Foley, director of government relations at Lime, stands with one of his company’s electric scooters outside City Hall in October 2021.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times file

Electric scooter-sharing company Lime says its ridership in Chicago is booming.

The San Francisco-based company has recorded more than 1 million rides this year.

Lime attributes part of the boom to the 50% equity discount on the South and West sides. More than 400,000 of this year’s rides were taken in those areas, the company said Thursday.

This year accounts for most of Lime’s rides in Chicago since it was introduced here in 2019. The company has recorded 1.7 million rides since then.

Lime is among three companies with licenses to rent scooters in Chicago, including Spin and Lyft. Superpedestrian said Thursday it had left the Chicago market.

Electric scooters were introduced in Chicago in two pilot programs in 2019 and 2020. The city’s scooter program became permanent in 2021.

Last month, Lime said it was seeking to expand scooter access to the Lakefront Trail, where bikes from Divvy are already allowed.

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