Please place a Discussion item on the May 16, 2018 City Commission Agenda, regarding dockless bicycle sharing platform regulations.
In May 2017, having identified dockless bicycle sharing as an emerging disruptive business model for Miami Beach, I placed a referral to the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee (NCAC) to discuss concerns related to rogue bike share programs being seen in other parts of the world. Subsequently, once dockless bikes appeared in our City, I placed a second referral to NCAC in December 2017 requesting an organized pilot for dockless bike sharing in Miami Beach. However, due to pending legislation preempting local regulation of the practice at the state level, NCAC took no action on the item which I have since withdrawn. While the State of Florida did not preempt local bike share regulation in the 2018 session, I expect it to come back again for the next legislative session.
Dockless bike sharing is a business model that continues to grow and make its mark on the United States and in South Florida. At the bottom of this memo I have included a list of four major bike share companies and the cities in which they are already doing business.
Due to the recent announcement by Uber on their acquisition of Jump Bikes (see attached press release), I would like once again to direct our City Administration get in front of the dockless bike sharing business model. I would request to have all of the relevant City departments (i.e., Parking, Transportation, Legal, Code Compliance, Police, etc.) work together to review the best practice strategies and operating issues experienced in other cities who have embraced dockless bike sharing and develop the necessary regulations and ordinances with fee structures to both address the concerns that bicycle sharing platforms pose as well as support a comprehensive program to meet our residents’ and visitors’ needs. The cohesive program including ordinances, business tax receipts and operating plans can be brought back to NCAC for their consideration.
It is important that Miami Beach place itself in a position through which to protect its residents and place ourselves ahead of impeding consequences and any possible future state preemptive strategies. I would therefore ask that City Staff present concrete recommendations to NCAC for further scrutinizing before being considered by the full commission.
Current Cities Operating Dockless Bike Share
Spin –
• Dallas, Texas
• Seattle, Washington
• South San Francisco, California
• Aurora, Colorado
• Washington, DC
• Miami, Florida
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• UC San Diego, San Diego, California
LimeBike –
• Albany, California
• Alameda, California
• Monrovia, California
• Arlington, Texas
• Austin, Texas
• Aurora, Colorado
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Durham, North Carolina
• Dallas, Texas
• Imperial Beach, California
• Key Biscayne, Florida
• National City, California
• Rockford, Illinois
• San Diego, California
• North Bay Village, Florida
• North Miami, Florida
• Miami Beach, Florida
• Miami Shores, Florida
• Plano, Texas
• Scottsdale, Arizona
• Mesa, Arizona
• Tempe, Arizona
• Seattle, Washington
• South Bend, Indiana
• South Lake Tahoe, California
• South San Francisco, California
• Washington, DC
• Los Angeles, California
• Greensboro, North Carolina
• San Jose, California
• San Diego, California
• Walnut Creek, California
• Rockford, Illinois
• Saint Louis, Missouri
MoBike – Washington, D.C., San Diego
Ofo – Seattle, Washington
For additional information, please contact my office at ext. 6437.