Abstract Manager

When considering the decision to implement a shared electric micromobility pilot in a suburban community, what decisions need to be made programmatically, for procurement, at implementation, and as a result of monitoring and analysis? In Coquitlam, a Metro Vancouver suburban community of nearly 150,000, an 18-month shared e-mobility pilot of 580 e-scooters and e-bikes was launched on June 29, 2023. The key objective of the pilot is to enhance existing transportation options by providing an easy, low-cost solution that connects riders to the first and last kilometers of their commute while achieving environmental sustainability benefits. This session would present the first 12 months of the pilot outcomes with subsequent learnings for both consultants and city staff on procurement best practices, strategies for multimodal transit integration, an adaptable and flexible RFP process that is responsive to the contraction within the shared micromobility market, and the benefits of a hybrid parking model in a space-constrained, competitive urban centre.

Examples of program success has followed a methodology to review for:

• Multimodal transit integration: Request service providers to establish a 100m geofence buffer around SkyTrain/Metro stations to track subsect of trip data. Result: 1/3 of all trips begin or end within 100m of a transit station indicating high support for first and last kilometer trip use. The better the proximity, the stronger the integration!
• When trips occur: Result: 30% of trips take place within 20% of the day (9 P.M. to 2 A.M.) which aligns with when transit reduces service frequency
• Where trips occur:  Result: Highest usage on established micromobility routes and demonstrate demand along planned 2050 Micromobility Network
• Parking Management: Result: A hybrid approach that implements prescriptive parking rules in commercial/pedestrian areas, and a dockless model in residential-only land uses.
• Service Area Expansion: Result: Trip start and end points demonstrate demand for service expansion beyond City Centre and to neighbouring municipalities.
• Public Sentiment Analysis: Capturing both formal engagement on City-owned social media and email accounts alongside tracking commentary in online community groups and digital news sources. Result: Only listening to the “loud few” doesn’t tell the whole story.