(a) Operating hours. Each Licensee shall make its scooters available for service during service hours as established by rules promulgated by the Commissioner.
(b) Compliance with laws. Each licensee shall comply with all applicable laws and rules. Specifically, a licensee shall comply with all applicable tax laws, including the Chicago Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax Ordinance, codified at Chapter 3-32 of this Code.
(c) Scooter operations. Scooters must be operated the same way as bicycles are operated as provided in Section 9-52-130 of this Code. Accordingly, (i) scooters are permitted to be operated only on the City's bike lanes or paths; (ii) except as otherwise provided in Section 9-52-020 of this Code, scooters cannot be operated on sidewalks; and (iii) where there is no bike lane or path, scooters are allowed to be operated on City streets but that such streets are not intended to be used by scooters. Scooters shall be operated in compliance with all applicable legal requirements. Each licensee shall communicate and educate all legal scooter operations to scooter users, and shall implement customer compliance policies to encourage proper scooter operations, with specific programs for first-time customers.
(d) Scooter parking. Each license shall take all necessary steps to ensure that scooters are parked in compliance with Section 9-52-070 and other applicable provisions of this Code. In addition, each license shall take all necessary steps to ensure that: (i) scooters are parked upright and with a minimum of six (6) feet clearance between the scooter and all public way encumbrances; and (ii) scooters are not parked along building facades, or block fire hydrants, bus stops, loading zones, or building access points; and (iii) parked scooters are locked to a fixed physical object allowed for sure locking, including a rack, retired parking meter or street sign or light pole. Each licensee shall remedy any issues regarding its scooters used for scooter sharing business that are not parked lawfully within two hours after the licensee is notified of such improper parking.
(e) Scooter distribution. Each licensee shall make scooters available to all residents of the City, applying an operational protocol that distributes scooters relatively evenly, based on population, throughout the entire City. The Commissioner, following concurrence by the Commissioner of Transportation, is authorized to create, by rule, geographic areas in the City for the purpose of requiring and implementing distribution of scooters in each geographic area to advance City's transportation goals including, but not limited to, the equitable distribution of transportation programs.
(f) Scooter maintenance. Each licensee shall conduct maintenance, and keep records of such maintenance, on each of its scooters used in the scooter sharing business at least once per a calendar month. Maintenance records shall be made available to authorized City enforcement personnel upon request.
(g) Use of geo-fencing technology. Each licensee must comply with the Commissioner's request to use geo-fencing technology and capability to restrict operations in certain areas and during certain times to protect public safety, private property and convenience as determined by the Commissioner, including, but not limited to, during special events or emergencies.
(h) Payment integration. Each e-scooter licensee will make available a fully compliant Application Protocol Interface (API) that allows customers to rent and pay for scooters in third-party applications that are approved by the Commissioner of Transportation.
(i) Pricing. The licensee shall provide, through its website and mobile applications, clear and complete information to scooter users all charges, tariffs, taxes, surcharges and fees that such user is required to pay prior to renting a scooter. A licensee shall not require a customer to pay in advance for more than one ride. A licensee shall implement, at minimum, low-income and unbanked pricing programs. A licensee shall not change the availability of such program throughout the license term without prior written approval of the Commissioner and the Commissioner of Transportation.
(j) Digital barriers. Each licensee shall provide, through its website, mobile applications and print materials, clear and complete information to scooter users regarding how to access the system through text, phone call and other means by individuals without smartphones. Each licensee shall implement a low-tech access program including, at minimum, a call and text to unlock program. A licensee shall not change the availability of such program throughout the license term without prior written approval of the Commissioner and the Commissioner of Transportation.
(k) Public information campaign. Each licensee must undertake a public information campaign focused on safety, responsible riding, and parking compliance. To comply with this subsection, licensees may undertake, and may contribute to, a joint public information campaign focused on the subject matters listed in this subsection.
(Added Coun. J. 10-14-21, p. 37486, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-17-24, p. 11061, § 4)