E-Scooter Pilot Project
E-Scooter Skills Sessions
Join us with HUB Cycling for some engaging, safe and fun E-Scooter Skills classes to get you on the road. New programs in the Outdoor Recreation section of the fall program guide! Register via the City's online registration system.
Electric Kick Scooter Pilot: January 2023 - April 2028
Coquitlam is one of 37 communities to participate in the provincial e-scooter pilot project as part of our continuing work to reduce carbon emissions in the community.
On December 1, 2023, the Province of BC passed Order in Council No. 640 that provided updated Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Guidelines, additional provisions to the Motor Vehicle Act, and extended the Pilot date to April 5, 2028. Coquitlam is extending its commitment to promote greener travel through an extension of its e-scooter pilot to 2028, enabling people age 16 and up to ride e-scooters on designated routes throughout Coquitlam.
E-Scooter Rules and Regulations
E-scooters are electrically powered kick scooters that are suited to short urban trips. People on e-scooters generally have the same rights, rules, and responsibilities as people cycling. Additional information can be found on the Province’s pilot project webpage. Tickets may be issued for violations.
Micromobility Devices
Check out this poster with descriptions and explanations of various micromobility devices and how they are regulated under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Dos
- Be at least 16 or older*
- Wear a helmet*
- Use lights at night
- Obey traffic signs and signals*
- Use bike lanes and multi-use paths whenever possible
- Ride with care and reduce speed around pedestrians
- Ring your bell or yell before passing
Don'ts
- Ride on sidewalks unless a sign permits*
- Exceed 25 km/h*
- Carry a passenger - one person per device*
- Ride while impaired or distracted
- Use a high-power model - motor over 500W and goes over 25 km/h*
*Important Note: Violation of these rules can result in a ticket.
Buying an E-Scooter?
Make sure you know the rules before using or buying an e-scooter. Riding an e-scooter that is not street legal can result in a violation ticket and fine. Learn more about device requirements before making a purchase and check the safety checklist to ensure you are ready to ride. You can also check to see if the City is offering any E-Scooter Skills Sessions. These will be mentioned at the top of this webpage, and you can check the latest edition of the Recreation Program Guide.
Coquitlam launched a Shared E-Micromobility Program in June 2023 to provide sustainable transportation options for residents and visitors in-line with the E-Scooter Pilot program. The shared e-scooters and e-bikes are owned and operated by Lime. Visit our Shared E-Micromobility program webpage for all those details.
Concerns and Complaints
If you see someone riding an e-scooter improperly (e.g. without a helmet, on the sidewalk, doubling up, intoxicated, or under 16 years of age)
Submit a Service Request for Roads and Traffic. Please include a photo, location, and time. Complaints submitted with a photo and location, time and date will be passed to the service provider who can then warn or fine the rider. Of course, unsafe or intoxicated riding can also always be reported directly to law enforcement.
For general questions or feedback about the program
Please submit a Service Request for Roads and Traffic.
People riding e-scooters generally have the same rights, rules and responsibilities as people riding bikes but there are more specific restrictions with e-scooters.
An electric kick scooter must be equipped with:
- One or more electric motors powered by batteries with a continuous power output rating not exceeding 500 watts.
- A braking system that meets the minimum requirements for stopping
- Wheels that are no more than 430mm in diameter
- A bell or horn
- A white or amber light on the front of the device when operated between sunset and sunrise.
- If the device is not equipped with a light an operator may carry or wear a light on their person when operating the device
- The device must not have a seat or a surface structure that can be used as a seat, pedals or a structure enclosing it
Riders must:
- Be 16 years old or older
- Have a bell and lights
- Wear a helmet
- Limit speed to 25 km/h for e-scooters and 32km/h for e-bikes
- Ride alone
- Not drink and ride: Use of shared e-scooters or e-bikes while intoxicated is illegal
Etiquette
- Ride with care around pedestrians
- Bell or yell - call out on your left or ring your bell before passing
- Obey traffic signs and signals
- Park responsibly and in designated areas
- Park in a secure, upright position in designated areas, such as the furniture zone of the sidewalk, residential unrestricted on-street parking lanes and other areas that don't obstruct sidewalks, travel lanes, doorways, driveways, bike lanes, etc.
- On sidewalks without furniture zones, give at least 1.5 meters of clear space.
Where to Ride
- Where cycling is allowed
- On multi-use pathways
- Designated bike lanes
Restrictions
- If the road has a speed limit above 50 km/h, you can only use an electric kick scooter in a designated micromobility lane or multi-use pathway, also known as MUPs.
- No riding on sidewalks or on park trails or pathways unless permitted by signs or pavement markings
- Ride as close to the right as possible on streets with no MUP
- Don't park in a way that will block or inhibit other sidewalk users, including those in wheelchairs who likely need more room to get by.
- At transit stops, don't block the boarding zone, either at the front or the rear
- Don't park on narrow sidewalks
- Don't block curb letdowns
- On pathways, park to the side of the pathway on the grass
- Do not block doors, driveways, ramps, stairs, handrails, or other access points
City bylaws identify the conditions of where and how e-scooter users may operate in Coquitlam during the pilot project. E-scooters are permitted to operate only on the following routes:
- If the road has a speed limit of 50 km/h or less, you must use a designated cycling lane or MUP if one is available or stay as far right as practicable unless directed elsewhere by signage
- If the road has a speed limit above 50 km/h, you can only use an electric kick scooter in a designated cycling lane
- Off-street paved pathways next to the roadway or in parks that are signed and marked for shared use with pedestrians
- E-scooters are not permitted on sidewalks or on unpaved trails. Maximum speeds are:
- 25 km/h on roadways
- 15 km/h on paved pathways shared with pedestrians
Fines for infractions range from $25 to $50.
A Sustainable Transportation Option
E-scooters and other electric micromobility devices are becoming more popular as a less expensive and convenient form of active transportation, well suited to urban areas and around transit hubs.
Expanding the use of micromobility devices dovetails with the City’s climate mitigation efforts, which include encouraging transportation forms that are healthier and produce fewer emissions.
The E-Mobility Strategy, currently under development as part of the Strategic Transportation Plan update, will provide a flexible framework to promote best practices that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation by increasing electrified sustainable options and electrifying remaining vehicle trips. The E-Mobility Strategy contains three goals that are directly aligned with the Strategic Transportation Plan:
- Goal 1: Increase and advance electric transportation adoption and use
- Goal 2: 50% sustainable mode share by 2050
- Goal 3: Zero emissions from transportation by 2050
For more information about the Strategic Transportation Plan and E-Mobility Strategy, visit coquitlam.ca/TransportationPlan
Coquitlam’s Updated Strategic Transportation Plan
The City adopted the current STP in 2012. Since then the City has made progress in increasing sustainable transportation in Coquitlam such as walking, cycling and public transit. There have also been significant changes in transportation over the last ten years, including the addition of SkyTrain, consideration of different kinds of street users, and emerging technologies to address climate change mitigation and adaptation.
A new STP will provide a refreshed long-term vision for Coquitlam’s transportation network with a focus on prioritizing key actions and policy changes for the next 10 years. It will also align with other City plans such as the recently-adopted Environmental Sustainability Plan and the Economic Development Strategy in development, while also applying the City’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Learn more at coquitlam.ca/transportationplan.
Documents and Links
News
Reports To Council
- June 5, 2023 - RTC Council-in-Committee, Award of Shared E-Mobility Pilot Provider Services
- November 15, 2022 - Report to Council
- January 16, 2023 - Report to Council