Lime deploys foot patrols to fix badly parked scooters in Chicago

Lime, Divvy's rival in Chicago's electric scooter and e-bike market, said this week that it is working to clean up Chicago's streets.

The company pushed hard against a contract extension with the city by Lyft, the rideshare company that has operated Divvy since 2019. Lime said the contract extension would create a monopoly for Lyft.

Nearly two weeks ago, the Chicago City Council Committee on Traffic and Pedestrian Safety decided not to extend the city's contract with Lyft.

Now, Lime says it is deploying foot patrol teams that will go out and fix poorly parked scooters manually. This is combined with investments by Lime in AI-powered high-tech parking solutions and rider education, the company said.

Foot patrol teams will start out in the 40th Ward on the city's North Side, which includes parts of Lincoln Square, Bowmanville, Edgewater, Andersonville, Arcadia Terrace, and West Rogers Park or West Ridge.

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) recently emphasized the need for scooter parking improvements in the ward, according to Lime.

Lime plans by the end of the year to deploy its foot patrols throughout Chicago — especially in high-ridership neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park and Lakeview, in the areas of busy Chicago Transit Authority 'L' stops, and along South and West Side commercial corridors such as 79th Street on the south.