What To Know About The New Tampa E-Scooter Law
I’m not sure if this is a problem and just Tampa, but I always seem to find E-scooters and E-bikes and the most peculiar places. I’ve seen them thrown in front of my driveway, I’ve seen them in the middle of the road while driving and held hostage in some apartment complexes. I’ve even seen videos on TikTok of people purposely throwing them in the Hillsborough River. Pretty problematic if you ask me, and now it seems the city thinks so as well. Tampa has set new E-scooter laws that can get you fined for not storing them properly.
The New E-Scooter Law
The new law may have been set on April 1, but this is no April Fools. You can now face a fee of up to five dollars if riders unsuccessfully park their rented electric vehicle in their approved stations. If you’re worried about finding these areas, you can ease your nerves by knowing that these electric vehicles will have software that will alert riders where they are prohibited from parking. The fines will be distributed by the three vendors Lime, Spin, and Helbiz, which are the only companies that operate in Tampa.
Electronic vehicle companies are not only finding people, but they are also giving pedestrians incentives to keep the streets clean. Riders can now receive a “bounty” of up to $2.50 for returning scooters and bikes to their designated docking stations. This law comes just a week after the local non-profit Keep Tampa Beautiful pulled 32 electric scooters from the Hillsborough River.
City spokesperson, Joshua Cascio, informed the Tampa Bay Times that the city has plans to expand the electric vehicle program citywide within the next few months. At the moment, the vehicles can be used in areas of downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods of Hyde Park, Ybor City, West River, and Tampa Heights.
Cascio also told the Tampa Bay Times “We understand it may take a few weeks to get acclimated, but we do expect voluntary compliance.”
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Jen was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area. She’s been with Beasley Media Group since 2022. In her spare time, you can find her at Tampa Bay Lightning games, Tampa Bay breweries, or the beach. Catch up on Jen’s content about the highest-rated restaurants/bars in Tampa, things-to-do around the area, and upcoming concerts.