Electric scooters are beginning to popularize in cities around the world due to the eco-friendly and convenient aspect that they provide populations with. Tallahassee began an electric scooter pilot program in July, where five companies supplied scooters to the area, in which the benefits and effects will be tested for three months. There are currently no electric scooters allowed on the FSU campus during the pilot test run, but if all goes well, students could expect on-campus access.
1. Cost efficiency.
Most electric scooter rentals have applications where you pay a one-dollar flat charge and 15 cents for every minute the scooter is used. A ten-minute scooter ride would cost less than five dollars, which is a great rate for students who need to commute short distances to or on campus.
2. Convenience.
Any parked electric scooter is up for grabs if it is charged, therefore finding and worrying about transportation will be an easy and quick task. The convenience of being able to leave an electric scooter at your destination without being concerned about paying more or having to leave it at a charging station is a perfect option for students lacking transportation, especially in a large campus.
3. Less traffic.
The rise of electric scooters means that more students will rely on them instead of their cars, meaning less vehicle traffic and potentially more parking spaces. If electric scooters are made available to students on FSU's campus, students will begin to notice the benefits, potentially influencing them to increasingly depend on scooters instead of cars.
4. More eco-friendly than cars.
The carbon dioxide emissions of electric scooters are less than vehicle emissions, which allows students the option of having a lower carbon footprint on the environment. As transportation emissions are increasingly contributing to global warming, students should be aware of their individual impacts that follow their choices. Consistently renting an electric scooter to go to class instead of using a car allows students to decrease their carbon emissions drastically within a year.
5. Perfect environment.
Tallahassee is a hotspot for biking lanes, especially on FSU's campus and those who rent electric scooters don't have to worry about having a path to navigate on. The landscape of FSU, the roads surrounding the campus and Tallahassee's bike-friendly aura creates the perfect environment for future electric scooter renters to stay safe as they reach their destinations.
Although many critics disagree with the popularization of electric scooters due to renters leaving them on sidewalks and walkways, electric scooters will provide accessible and affordable transportation to students, which could decrease traffic along with the carbon footprint emitted from FSU's campus area.