- Social:
UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies
Associate director at UCLA Lewis Center and the Institute of Transportation Studies
PROFILE
Juan Matute
Guest
FROM Juan Matute
Design and Architecture
Scooter-sharing startup Bird takes flight in Santa Monica Last fall a battery-powered, adult-size variant on a Razor scooter appeared on the streets of downtown Santa Monica. It’s called Bird, it powers it along at a top speed of 15 miles an hour, it is booked and located via an App; and after arriving at his or her destination the rider simply leaves the Bird on the sidewalk or in a parking lane (rather than seeking a parking station like Breeze Bikes). The company gathers them up and recharges them overnight. Judging by the number of them now whizzing along the streets of downtown Santa Monica, these motorized scooters have been an instant hit. But the Birds, founded by an Uber alumnus named Travis VanderZanden and headquartered in downtown Santa Monica, have also raised concerns at City Hall. On the face of it, Birds appear like a perfect solution to the First Mile Last Mile problem, and provide an easy, sustainable, space-saving mode of transportation, but the city’s justice department has filed a criminal complaint against the company. Why? DnA talks to Anuj Gupta, deputy city manager, and learns that while, yes, the City does embrace Birds for all these reasons, “the challenge is that they have been operating in our city without a business license to operate,” they present a “public safety concern because of the fact that these scooters are in the public right of way,” and “they are operating in the public right away without a permit to do so.” One of the other problems is that Birds are classified in California vehicle code as electric motorized scooters, meaning you have to be over 18 to use them and have a driver's license. And yet middle and high schoolers have taken to them like proverbial ducks to water. Gupta says the City hopes to arrive at a mutually beneficial arrangement with Bird. “We as a city I think are very excited by the notion of Bird, particularly because they are a homegrown business and because Santa Monica is a place that is a hotbed of innovation. We stand ready to sit down and partner with them on a way to get their devices onto the streets.” He adds, “This is just the beginning of a whole new series of devices that we're likely to see. We may need to develop new regulatory approaches to these devices. But we need to do that and then partner with the companies to invite them in and design systems that accommodate their models.” VanderZanden told DnA in an email: “We are looking forward to working with the city so that we can create sensible, modern regulations for new kinds of technologies like ours that are helping to solve the last mile transportation problem.” What this means for the teens who love this new mode of transit, however, is unclear. DnA also talks to transportation expert Juan Matute and four Bird users, named Rose, Nemo, Ruby and Kalea. A Bird scooter left on the Santa Monica boardwalk. Photo by Avishay Artsy.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Fixing L.A. Parking Parking is broken in Los Angeles. Sixty-dollar parking tickets, street sweeping at the crack of dawn and exclusive resident-only parking on city streets are just a few common gripes. Well, L.A. leaders are finally trying to fix some of these problems. The City Council’s Transportation Committee is going ahead with several reforms recommended by a working group set up by Mayor Garcetti.
Which Way, L.A.?
LA's Westside Faces a Slow-Pocalypse If you thought Westside traffic couldn't get any worse, it seems that public agencies are conspiring to achieve simultaneous disruption. The City of Santa Monica is about to start rebuilding the California Incline , which drops traffic down onto the Pacific Coast Highway. That's where LA County has extended a massive sewer repair at least until June. At the same time, Metro is bringing Expo Line construction down Colorado Boulevard almost to the Santa Monica Pier.
Recommended
The Treatment
Jordan Peele: Get Out Comedian Jordan Peele joins Elvis Mitchell to discuss his directorial debut Get Out. (REPEAT)
Bookworm
Claudio Magris: Blameless In Claudio Magris' Blameless, a museum of the implements of war and destruction is created to inspire peace. But this conversation is not just about war and peace.
Good Food
Shaking up the USDA, 'The Beef Cookbook' and 'Tartine All Day' Peggy Lowe explains why Trump’s pick for USDA Secretary is rattling rural America. Dario Cecchini talks future plans for Chianti ramen, and Richard Turner shares cuts from “PRIME: The Beef Cookbook.” Writer Matthew Sedacca looks at the controversy behind liquid smoke. Jonathan Gold tries Chengdu-style dishes, and Elisabeth Prueitt of Tartine fills us in on the latest. Plus, chef Michael Beckman shares a recipe for cactus confit.