Hartford’s new scooter-sharing program has logged more than 17,000 rides in little more than a month, according to a published report Monday.
The first LINK electric scooters appeared in downtown Hartford on April 22. Now, some 250 rentable scooters are stationed around the state’s capital city, the Hartford Courant reported.
“We had high hopes that it would be a successful city for us, but it’s a crown jewel,” Paul White of Superpedestrian, an engineering company that created the scooters, told the newspaper. “We’re seeing trips for enjoyment, but we’re seeing a lot of anecdotal evidence coming in about people using it to connect to the bus, using it as a backup to the bus.”
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
The scooters come after a bike-sharing program proved problematic in Hartford. After less than a year, the Lime bikes were removed in early 2019 amid reports of damage and theft.
Two scooters have been damaged so far, White said. He said the scooters’ parts don’t fit other models, discouraging people from trying to steal them.
Rides cost $1 to start, plus 35 cents per minute, with provisions for discounts for people in financial need. Rides are free for people heading to coronavirus vaccination appointments.
LINK scooters are in over 30 cities worldwide.
