As of Dec. 18, some scooters were still parked on downtown Eugene sidewalks, such as this scooter near the corner of 8th and Willamette.
Chris M. Lehman / KLCC
Eugene’s e-scooter program is closing down following reports that the manufacturer, Superpedestrian, is going out of business.
The city’s pilot for e-scooter rentals launched in March, as a partnership between Superpedestrian and the local nonprofit Cascadia Mobility. Since then, it’s logged over 220,000 rides.
Eugene Public Works spokesperson Marion Suitor Barnes said the program’s become popular among college students. Superpedestrian operates in roughly 60 cities and Barnes said Eugene has been the company’s second-most successful location.
However, the story changed abruptly this weekend, when Barnes said Superpedestrian informed its partners that it will shutter due to undisclosed financial issues. She said the news came as a surprise.
“The universal feeling about it is just disappointment, because it was so popular here,” said Barnes. “But we will pivot and make sure we continue to offer these active transportation options to community members.”
The company still owns the e-scooters and the software behind them. Units will begin disappearing this week. In the meantime, the public can still rent any units with a green light on.
Moving forward, Barnes said the city will now consider partnerships with other providers of e-scooters or electric vehicles. Additionally, she said it will move up its existing plans to introduce more PeaceHealth Rides bicycles across wider parts of Eugene.
Barnes said active transportation is a priority for the city as it aims to make mobility more accessible.
“We feel that a healthy city has alternatives to driving, both for health reasons and climate reasons,” said Barnes.
Superpedestrian representatives did not respond to KLCC’s request for comment Monday. So far, the company hasn’t publicly announced plans to shut down.
