Economic regulation and E-scooter networks in the USA

This paper looks at the challenges in the economic regulation of stand-up electronic scooters, or e-scooters. The e-scooter represents one of several innovative modes that have emerged to cater for transportation needs in urban areas. They provide connectivity linking local origins and destinations, as well as interconnectivity linking urban locations to inter-urban networks. These vehicles are marketed as a micro form of public transportation designed to meet the needs of fit and able people wishing to make trips of two miles or less. They are touted as part of micromobility complementing existing transportation networks. This paper reviews the gray and limited academic economic literature looking at the viability and economics of e-scooters within the context of the regulatory environment in which they operate in US cities. It considers the ways regulatory structures are evolving as the authorities learn of the attributes and limitations of the mode. In doing this, the paper also makes comparisons with some of the other novel forms of local transportation that have emerged, including those offered by transportation network companies. The paper focuses on the pre-Covid-19 period.