NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Council overwhelmingly passed a bill to keeps scooters on the streets, but there would need to be new regulations.
The scooters have come under fire in Nashville because of safety concerns following the death of 26-year-old Brady Gaulke back in May, as well as complaints about scooters blocking sidewalk access for those in wheelchairs and the blind.
Metro Council’s Public Safety, Beer and Regulated Beverages Committee debated three options to control the scooters Tuesday evening, ahead of a larger debate among all Metro Council members that took place late Tuesday evening with the council facing a gargantuan 30-page agenda.
In the end they're moving ahead with a plan they hope will make everyone happy. Here's what it means for you:
- It would require the Transportation Licensing Commission to come up with new regulations for scooters.
- All scooter companies would have to cut their fleets in half immediately.
- There would be slow-speed zones in popular areas.
- There would also be curfews – 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on the weekends.
Companies would also need to have two employees for every 100 scooters. Council member Jeremy Elrod's plan failed earlier in the night, but before the vote he admitted there are up-sides to have scooters.
There is a back-up in place in case this new idea doesn't work.
Council also passed an all-out ban on scooters that will be taken up at the end of August. If these new rules don't work, council will be able to take immediate action to get rid of scooters for good.
This newest plan still has to pass a third and final reading in a few weeks.
