In this episode, we talk about:

  1. Shared scooters (Lime, Bird, Superpedestrian) in Dallas with Jonathan Braddick.

    • Where, when, and how to ride scooters in Dallas
    • Why original scooter program ended
    • What’s different this time around
    • Improvements we want to see

  2. DART ridership update with Connor Hulla

    • DART begins hiring 100 Transit Security Officers (TSOs)
    • 70 officers have been hired as of August
    • Riding light rail on Saturdays and Sundays is more popular now than before the pandemic.

Shared scooters: Lime, Bird, Superpedestrian

(All vendor pricing and offers detailed in these show notes are only current in Dallas as of September 19th. Pricing may vary for other cities and may change by the time you read this. Please refer to the vendor websites for up-to-date details. Anytime the price on the vendor app or website was listed with 99 cents, I round to the dollar in the list below. For example, instead of $6.99, my list reads $7.)

Lime

  • $1 unlock, $0.41 per minute
  • Operable in Dallas, Plano, Highland Park, University Park, and Cockrell Hill.
  • Ride Passes basically allow you to save money by purchasing minutes in bulk. For example, riding for 60 minutes would normally cost $24.60; buying a 60-minute ride pass costs $8. Other pass options include
  • LimePrime is an optional $15/month subscription that waives the $1 unlock fee and applies a 25% discount to all rides.
  • Download Lime app

Bird

  • $1 unlock, $0.39 per minute
  • Operable in Dallas, Plano, and Cockrell Hill.
  • Not operable in Park Cities (Highland Park and University Park).
  • No passes or subscriptions are offered in Dallas at this time. However, discount offers are intermittently available in the Bird app.
  • Download Bird app

Superpedestrian

  • $1 unlock, $0.39 per minute
  • Operable in Central Dallas
  • Not operable in other cities and outside Central Dallas (see map below).
  • Ride Passes basically allow you to save money by purchasing minutes in bulk. Pass options in Dallas include 1 Day Pass ($9), 30-MIN Trip Pass ($7), 4 Days Pass ($16), and 30 Days Pass ($30).
  • LINK-Up Dallas is Superpedestrian’s 70% discount fare program for the City of Dallas. Anyone who qualifies for a Dallas local, Texas State, or federal assistance program is eligible for LINK-Up Dallas. Apply using their online enrollment form.
  • Download Superpedestrian app

Screenshot of Superpedestrian boundaries map.

You can read the rules and history of the Dockless Vehicle Program on the City of Dallas website. You can also find FAQs from the media answered by the city.

Riding Restrictions

From the official City of Dallas website:

  • Operating hours for rented scooters are limited to 5am - 9pm.
  • There is a city-wide speed limit of 20 MPH for scooters and e-bikes.
  • In Slow-Ride Zones, riders must slow to 10 MPH.
  • Scooters (rented and privately owned) may not be ridden on or in: sidewalks, trails, parks, plazas, on roads with a speed limit of 35 MPH or higher, and in other designated No-Ride Zones. Riders must dismount and walk their device through these areas.

Interactive map of Slow-Ride Zones, No Ride Zones, No Parking zones, and scooter/bicycle parking corrals.

Scooter Tips

Before riding an electric scooter for the first time, it’s a good idea to read an online beginner’s guide to riding an electric scooter.

In addition to buses and trains, you can see the live location of Bird and Superpedestrian scooters using the GoPass app from DART. At the time of recording, Lime scooters are not shown on the GoPass app.

Screenshot of the GoPass app from DART, showing the live location of trains, buses, Bird scooters, and Superpedestrian scooters.

DART Ridership Update

Transity Security Officers

In July, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) announced the addition of more than 100 contract Transit Security Officers (TSO) to improve public safety and security for DART commuters.

TSOs will provide enhanced service on DART’s light rail vehicles and platforms, as well as the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), with a focus on DART Code of Conduct violations and any potential unlawful activities on DART property. The TSOs join the agency’s 252 budgeted DART Police Officers and Fare Enforcement Officers (FEO) in ensuring DART riders have a safe and secure experience.

The TSO program is scheduled to be fully staffed by mid-August, but security officers can already be seen patrolling DART vehicles.

Transit Security Officer standing aboard a DART light rail train.

DART Weekend Ridership