Operator permit applications will be accepted through May 28, 2021

Baltimore, MD (May 11, 2021) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) Director Steve Sharkey announced that Baltimore City is now accepting permit applications for its Dockless Vehicle for Hire Program.  After previous permits were extended during the COVID-19 State of Emergency, these will be the first new permits issued since August 2019.

Through the City’s dockless vehicle sharing program, citizens are able to rent electric scooters and bikes.  Dockless vehicles are a fun and sustainable way to travel because they do not need to be parked in specific bike racks for rental or any other designated locations.  They are equipped with GPS technology which allows users to find vehicles throughout the city.  In Baltimore, an average of 100,000 trips are taken with dockless vehicles each month.   

Companies that wish to operate dockless vehicles in Baltimore City must have a valid permit, and Dockless Vehicle for Hire Permit Applications are now being accepted by BCDOT.  Permit holders maintain, deploy, and are required to offer equitable access to electric scooters and bicycles for rent throughout the city.  Under the new operating permit, companies will abide by the revised Rules and Regulations developed by the Department of Transportation and its partners.  These regulations affect fleet size, parking requirements, equity zones and distribution, rider education, equity of access, safety and vehicle standards, and data reporting formats.  The regulations were adopted under the new Administrative Procedures Act and the public comment report details adjustments made from prior regulations.

All completed permit applications will be scored to select companies that will work to promote safety, maintain equitable access to vehicles, and excel in the service they provide to city communities.  A committee of representatives from BCDOT, the Law Department and the Department of Planning will use a strict rubric to score applications based on the needs of Baltimore City for a safe, equitable, and successful program.

Permit applications will be accepted now through May 28, 2021.  The BCDOT will award up to 4 dockless vehicle permits following the competitive application process, two of which are reserved for operators that provide multiple vehicle types.  The awarded permits will become active on July 1, 2021 and expire in one year, with the possibility of a one-year extension. 

The permit application, permit rules, Public Comment Report and additional information can be viewed here. 

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