The University of Arizona is turning to GPS to enforce its campus ban on electric scooters in preparation of the city of Tucson launching its dockless rental scooter pilot program this week.
Should a rental scooter user wander past the electric campus boundary, the scooters will idle down to a complete stop, while riders will also receive a message on their app that theyβre in a βno-ride zone.β
The exact path of the geo-fence had not yet been finalized, as of Friday morning, but βgenerally speaking it encompasses all of UA property,β said Jim Sayre, the universityβs executive director of parking and transportation.
βWeβre just asking scooter riders that, as they approach campus, they keep the scooters in the designated areas,β Sayre said, calling the geo-fence the βprimary way of enforcingβ the ban.
Andy Bemis, the cityβs bicycle and pedestrian program coordinator, said Arizona State University has a similar geo-fence around its campus after ASU also enacted a campus ban on electric scooters.
The scooter rental companies have assured the city that the stopping isnβt abrupt, ensuring the safety of the riders, he said.
βNobody is thrown over the handlebars on these guys,β Bemis said. βI certainly hope not. I know thatβs not in anyoneβs best interest.β
The UA prohibited electric scooters from campus last October, citing safety concerns due to its large influx of vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. That decision came months before Tucson officially moved forward with a six-month pilot program of rental scooters. Hundreds of the scooters from two companies, Bird and Razor, will hit city streets Thursday.
In the process of preparing for the launch, the city notified the two companies that they would not be allowed to operate in two areas where the electric scooters are banned β the UA campus and the Pima County Loop trail β and potentially during special events, such as fairs on Fourth Avenue.
In terms of the UA campus, representatives from the school, city and scooter companies worked together to figure out a way to not interfere with the pilot program, but also enforce the campus scooter ban, officials said.
The geo-fence around UA does not include sidewalks adjacent to campus, where electric scooter riding is prohibited. That essentially creates a buffer to account for potential inaccuracies of the GPS.
βKnowing that the GPS is not exact, thereβs probably going to be some adjustments that have to be made over time as we learn how the technology works,β Sayre said.
Along with the geo-fence, several designated parking areas for the scooters were established just off campus. The school has also created fliers with scooter safety information, similar to the ones passed out to bicyclists at the start of the semester, and has partnered with campus health to track any electric scooter injuries, Sayre said.
βWeβre trying to be supportive of the cityβs pilot program so they can have a successful learning period,β he said. βWeβve tried to partner on things like letβs designate parking so at least they can be riding in the city and as they approach campus have a reasonable place to park.β
Bemis acknowledged that idling the scooters does not eliminate the problem of scooters still physically being on campus. Itβs on the users to push the scooters back to the legal riding area.
Sayre said they are prepared to impound electric scooters should they get left on campus.
βWe have folks and resources dedicated to dealing with those things,β he said. βI wouldnβt say itβs necessarily a problem, but itβs a resource weβd have to dedicate to that weβd prefer to dedicate to something else.β
As for the future, Sayre said the school has not ruled out lifting the ban, should the pilot program prove to be a success.
βWe arenβt allowing them on campus because weβre concerned for the safety of employees, students and visitors to campus. Weβd have to learn how thatβs changed,β he said. βWeβre anxious to learn along with the city.β