U.S. micromobility is booming. National data show Americans took roughly 113 million shared bike and scooter rides in 2022 – about 40% more than in 2018. Cities continue to shatter records: Chicago’s Department of Transportation reported over 11 million bike-and-scooter trips in 2024 (a new annual high), and Philadelphia’s Indego bike-share hit a record 1.3 million rides in 2024. Bike- and scooter-share usage grew across the country in 2023–2025, fueled by factors like expanded service zones and rising demand for affordable, on-demand transit.
Evolving Regulations and Safety
As shared scooters and e-bikes spread, so do new rules. By 2024, 28 states and DC had passed laws governing e-scooters (covering age limits, speed caps, helmet use, etc.). Most definitions treat an e-scooter as a 2–3 wheel electric device under ~100 lbs with a top speed of 10–20 mph. Cities and states continue to refine policies: for example, New York State passed bills in late 2024 tightening safety standards for lithium batteries in e-bikes and scooters. Federally, agencies are even taking notice – in Jan. 2025 the National Park Service proposed its first-ever rules to define “powered micromobility devices” (like e-scooters and hoverboards) and where they may operate on federal lands.
Safety remains a concern. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 111 e-scooter fatalities in 2021–2022, often from collisions or falls. In response, legislators are acting. For example, Washington, D.C. introduced a Micromobility Fire Safety Standards Act in 2025 to require e-bike/scooter batteries to meet strict fire-safety specs. Many cities also impose speed limits (commonly 15–20 mph) and ban sidewalk riding. Overall, the patchwork of laws means riders must check local rules – but trends show regulators aiming to balance safety with support for these green alternatives.
City Spotlights
Chicago – Expanding a Record Network
Chicago stands out for massive ridership growth. In January 2025, city officials announced that 2024 saw over 11 million shared-bike/scooter trips – beating all previous years. Chicago credits this to infrastructure and service expansion: the city is adding hundreds of new Divvy bike-share stations (the system operated by Lyft) and new protected bike lanes. As CDOT noted, more neighborhoods now have Divvy access and safer streets for micromobility, which has encouraged riders. Divvy ridership itself hit records four years running. Chicago is also electrifying dozens of stations (installing charging docks for e-bikes/scooters) to reduce manual battery swaps. In short, “more Chicagoans than ever are choosing bikes and scooters to get around,” said CDOT – part of a broader push for sustainable, equitable transport.
New York City – Boroughs Catching Up
NYC was slower to adopt shared scooters, but recent pilots show explosive growth. The city began e-scooter trials in the Bronx in 2021 and added Queens in 2024. Private reports highlight the uptick: Lime announced March 2025 trips in the Bronx+Queens hit 169,860, more than double March 2024 levels. In fact, by mid-2025 Bronx+Queens riders had clocked over 380,000 Lime scooter trips – exceeding the entire 2024 total for those borough. (Lime is one of three operators in those pilots; Manhattan still has no shared scooters.) City Hall is encouraging this expansion: DOT has installed scooter parking corrals and approved street “e-bike battery” cabinets for charging batteries. At the same time, officials are addressing problems – e.g. complaints about scooters blocking sidewalks led to plans for more organized parking. The takeaway is that NYC’s micromobility use is spiking now that all boroughs are included; city agencies are tweaking the program rather than halting it.
Washington, D.C. – Booming Use and Support
The nation’s capital also reports booming micromobility activity. Through June 2024, the four shared operators in D.C. (Lime, Spin/Bird, Veo, Lyft) had logged an estimated 3.38 million scooter/e-bike trips – already surpassing the city’s entire 2022 total by midyear. Lime alone reported 2.36 million rides (nearly 70% of all scooter/e-bike trips) through Q2 2024. (For context, the free Capital Bikeshare system had about 2.58 million trips in that span.) In total, D.C. riders (public bikes + private scooters/e-bikes) have taken nearly 6 million micromobility trips in the first half of 2024. DC’s program is large – the District issues permits for up to 20,000 dockless vehicles across the city. Officials stress these devices as crucial first/last-mile options: DDOT’s long-range plan even calls e-scooters “fundamental” to reducing car use. The District is also enhancing rider support with things like station-based e-bike charging (since 2023) and higher pay rates for app-based delivery workers who rely on e-bikes. In short, Washington is now one of the busiest scooter cities in the U.S. while actively managing safety and infrastructure.
Denver – Nation’s Most-Used System
Denver’s shared e-bike/scooter program has become the busiest in America. DOT statistics show ridership in summer 2024 was 24% higher than the previous year, with single-day peaks near 40,000 trips. September 2024 alone saw 795,823 rides (averaging over 25K/day). On pace, the city projected over 6 million annual trips by year-end. Denver partnered with Lyft and Lime; together their fleet completed 5.6 million trips through late 2024 – more than any other US city program. Officials credit this surge to user enthusiasm plus investments in bike lanes and parking corrals for scooters. In fact, Denver is now redesigning streets for micromobility: as DOT noted, scooters have “soared in Denver,” and the city is actively adding protected paths and parking to keep riders safe. (A planned “First Mile Free” transit pilot will even subsidize scooter/e-bike rides to nearby stations, starting in 2026.) Denver’s example shows how a city with strong transit can amplify its impact by embracing shared two-wheelers.
Other Cities and Regions
Many other large U.S. cities have notable developments. Chicago (see above) and Washington lead the numbers, while places like Seattle and Austin grapple with integration. For example, after a churn of operators in 2023, Seattle reassigned its scooter permits to existing firms and still saw 15% growth in monthly rides by May 2024. Austin trimmed its scooter fleet in 2024 (eliminating one brand) and saw ridership dip 15%, while planning new parking rules. New York’s neighbor New Jersey, California cities (San Francisco, L.A., San Diego), and Florida (Miami, Orlando) each have their own pilots and rules. Notably, some cities are focusing on equity: Boston and Louisville expanded low-income passes, and many have subsidized helmets or safety training. The regional picture is mixed, but the overall trend is clear: U.S. metropolises are actively managing micromobility programs to fit local needs (and often expanding them).
The Road Ahead: Innovation and Integration
Looking forward, micromobility is only gaining momentum. Industry leaders and cities are doubling down. Ride-hailing companies now see bikes and scooters as “core to our purpose”. Lyft’s CEO recently announced plans to focus on its docked bike/e-bike network and coordinate with cities (for example, dropping dockless scooters in D.C. to simplify operations). Meanwhile, industry consolidation means simpler user experience: Uber and Lyft are integrating scooter rentals in their apps, and in 2024 Lyft added Bird’s scooters in over 25 U.S. cities.
At the same time, the technology is improving. Electrification is booming – shared e-bike trips reached 20 million in 2022 (up from 14.5M in 2021), and e-bikes now make up a growing share of fleets. Many systems report that e-bikes (which cost more to rent) still attract a disproportionately high fraction of trips. Cities are planning infrastructure to support them: for instance, New York has begun installing sidewalk battery-swapping cabinets to help e-bike users. States and municipalities are also using federal and state funds to build protected bike lanes, bike-share stations, and even automated pedicabs or e-trikes in some areas.
Environmental and social goals add tailwinds. Studies suggest that millions of car trips are being replaced by bikes and scooters (offsetting thousands of tons of CO₂), especially for first/last-mile commutes. Many cities explicitly target underserved neighborhoods: New York’s $21M Clean Mobility Program (2025) offers grants for micro-mobility in transit-poor areas, and similar programs exist in several states. In short, planners view micromobility as a key way to cut congestion and emissions while giving people transportation choices.
In summary, micromobility in the U.S. is on a strong upswing. Ridership metrics are at all-time highs in many cities, and the trend lines are up. The sector faces challenges (safety, parking, profitability), but cities and companies are responding with new rules and innovations. Major metro areas – from Chicago and Denver to New York and Washington – illustrate how shared bikes and scooters can quickly become popular transit options when supported by infrastructure and policy. As technology advances and infrastructure grows, Americans are likely to see even more e-scooters and e-bikes in their cities in the coming years, making micromobility an increasingly integral part of urban life.
Sources: Authoritative data and reports from city governments, industry associations, and news outlets (chicago.gov, nacto.org, ggwash.org, amny.com, smartcitiesdive.com).
