Photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters

By Liam Verster

675,000 km travelled since 2021

E-scooters continue to be well used in Vernon

Nov 24, 2023 | 3:00 PM

Vernon and area residents — as well as visitors to the area — are still putting the Neuron e-scooter and e-bikes to good use.

A report to Vernon city council stated that, since launching in July 2021, over 37,250 riders have signed up with the program operator Neuron.

Together, those riders have taken more than 322,000 trips, travelling over 675,000 kilometres.

Neuron’s report to council stated 70 per cent of trips taken by e-scooter riders led to someone spending money at a local business, and that 60 per cent of riders spent more than $10 at a local business per trip.

That translated to approximately $4.5 million being spent at Vernon businesses by e-scooter users each year.

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Since it’s launch, Neuron has also held 26 Community Safe Scoot Events, where they gave away more than 1,000 helmets, and also launched a Road Safety Week campaign in May of 2023.

Vernon council will receive the report from Neuron for information at its meeting Monday, Nov. 27.

Later in Monday’s meeting, council will be presented with an opportunity to move forward with hosting public e-scooter vendors.

A staff report recommends council direct administration to develop and implement a new application process for a shared e-scooter vendor to operate in Vernon, should the province extend the e-scooter pilot program or make the e-scooter regulations permanent.