Howard County is developing a permit process to allow electric scooter sharing companies to operate in public areas. To enable the process and fee, Howard County will need to update the County Code through legislation, which would also add the definition of electric low speed scooters. These scooters would be allowed to operate in pathways, streets, sidewalks, and bus lanes in the County.

From Howard County’s website:

“Over the past year, we have worked towards a more multi-modal community by funding $2.2 million for bicycle infrastructure projects, passing complete streets legislation, expanding RTA bus hours and routes, and now developing a permitting process for electric scooters,” said Howard County Executive Ball. “We’re planning ahead to ensure that when scooters do arrive, they are safe, accessible, and work within our current infrastructure.”

The electric scooter sharing system permit process will be managed by the Howard County Office of Transportation and is expected to begin in May of 2020. The permit will dictate the parameters that the scooter sharing companies must operate under, including the speed of the scooters, where they can be parked, minimum and maximum quantities, operator response time, data sharing, insurance requirements and permit fees.

The program in Howard County will be based off of best practices of Baltimore City, Montgomery County, and Washington D.C., all which have experience with electric scooter sharing companies.

For more information, please contact the Howard County Office of Transportation, 410-313-4312, transportation@howardcountymd.gov.