Bolt scooters connect with public transport 40% of the time

Bolt Electric Scooters are used by users 40% of the time to travel short distances to or from public transport stations, according to a study conducted by the company in 17 European countries, including Romania. The usage share of Bolt scooters in Romania is almost in line with the European average, namely 38%.

The use of rented scooters encourages more people to use public transport, as it provides easy access to buses, subways, or trams. The advantage of these scooters is that they comply with national regulations and have limited travel speeds. In addition, Bolt scooters have two types of insurance and include technologies that prevent situations where users drive recklessly, park improperly, or ride tandem on the same scooter.

“Our electric scooter rental service helps users move around urban environments for short distances in a sustainable way, which helps alleviate traffic congestion, especially during peak hours. According to the World Health Organization, over 30% of car trips in Europe cover distances of less than 3 km, and 50% cover less than 5 km. This means there is significant potential in rethinking how we travel and making decisions that have a positive impact on the community, such as reducing congestion, noise, and city pollution,” stated Călin Leuștean, Micro-mobility Manager at Bolt Romania.

Bolt scooters have a maximum travel speed of 25 km/h, limited to 15 km/h in certain areas. The company recently announced a set of in-app features to prevent reckless driving and improper parking. At the end of a ride, the user’s behaviour is evaluated based on three components: parking, reckless driving, and tandem riding.

When a scooter is not used properly, immediately after the ride is completed, the user receives a notification to evaluate their behavior, and penalties range from limiting the maximum travel speed to temporarily suspending the account.

In Romania, Bolt is making constant efforts to educate users through national campaigns, in partnership with local authorities and members of the police.

“The popularity of electric scooters has increased significantly in recent years, and data published by online retailers also confirm a growing number of private scooters. Many of these are uninsured, travel at speeds of over 50 km/h, and cannot be controlled. Scooter rental services provide a higher level of safety, functionality management, and technologies that help promote responsible use. Therefore, imposing restrictions on scooter operators or banning such services not only deprives a large number of users of using a sustainable means of transport in a congested city, but can also generate inappropriate traffic behavior that is difficult to monitor,” continues Călin Leuștean.

The study conducted by Bolt demonstrates that the company’s scooters contributed to avoiding over 2.4 million kg of carbon dioxide emissions in 17 European countries in 2022. This amount is equivalent to 18.5 million single-use plastic bags or 2600 round-trip flights from Paris to New York.

“Investments in sustainability are essential for Romania, which is why the funds allocated for the green transition are in the first pillar of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Local administrations only need to propose and then implement green infrastructure projects, such as bike and scooter lanes, to transform cities into environmentally friendly spaces and improve traffic and, consequently, the lives of residents. Access to green transportation alternatives is a solution that benefits all parties involved,” concludes Călin Leuștean.

DMCA

PROTECTED