SCOOT JUSTICE: Hoboken Rolls Out Micromobility Code Enforcement Officers to Address Scooter Safety Concerns

(ABOVE: Dramatization—Sony Pictures image)

Hoboken has announced today that it will launch ‘Operation: Rolling Justice’ (our name, not theirs) in the ongoing battle for scooter safety, deploying two (2) Micromobility Code Enforcement Officers (MCEOs) to cover the Mile Square City and enforce ordinances/regulations pertaining to micromobility devices (e-scooters, bicycles, e-skateboards, etc).

Scooters in Hoboken have been under intense scrutiny since their rollout on May 20. A rider was arrested a month later for attempting to flee police on the Waterfront after colliding with a pedestrian. Last month a scooter collided with a mother and child on the sidewalk, prompting Hoboken City Council to crackdown on safety with bans in parks and on the Waterfront. Meanwhile, incidents of DWI on scooters have been making headlines over the past few weeks.

Hoboken Police Department’s short-lived Segway Patrol (2009)

Nevertheless, the program’s popularity in Hoboken is significant, with Lime most recently reporting 390,000+ trips by over 60,000+ unique riders since May. Riders enjoy the ease and convenience of the rideshare scooters, as a way to navigate short journeys around the Mile Square City and its traffic-choked thoroughfares.

“The MCEOs will educate riders, as well as provide summonses to riders who violate the City’s ordinances,” said the City of Hoboken in a statement. “The MCEOs will focus on enforcement of e-scooter violations, such as riding on sidewalks, riding in parks and prohibited areas on the waterfront walkway, not obeying traffic control devices, and more. In addition to issuing summonses, the enforcement officers will also work with Lime and the Hoboken Police Department to suspend accounts of those who disregard certain regulations. MCEOs will also partner with local organizations to lead micromobility safety and education initiatives.”

The two MCEOs are funded through a revenue share agreement with Lime which was adopted in August.

Hoboken City Council recently voted 8-0 to approve a proposed new contract with Lime that will see 35 cents per ride go to the City for the duration of the pilot program. That money is reportedly meant to be invested in enforcement, education tools, and enhanced transportation infrastructure—including protected bike lanes.

Hoboken’s e-scooter rideshare pilot program is set for review in November, at which point the City will decide whether to maintain the agreements or terminate the program.

As that decision nears, the City is asking residents and visitors alike to fill out a comprehensive survey pertaining to scooters and their use within Hoboken.

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