Micromobility in Maryland 

Micromobility is a term for small, low-speed, human- or electric-powered transportation device, including bicycles, scooters, electric-assist bicycles, and electric scooters (e-scooters). Advances in micromobility have expanded the active transportation landscape in Maryland beyond walking and biking. The continued evolution of micromobility devices, including e-scooters, e-bikes and shared mobility programs (e.g., bike share), have forced jurisdictions in Maryland to tackle new questions around mobility, policy and equity. Across the United States and Canada in 2023, 157 million trips were made on shared micromobility and countless trips were made on personally owned micromobility devices.

More information about Micromobility in Maryland can be found in the 2050 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, published in 2024. Different roles MDOT plays in micromobility can also be explored below.

MDOT’s Role in Micromobility

Defining vehicle types and legal uses

As new types of mobility arise and become more common, their place on the roadway and rules to be followed on the road must be defined. Since the proliferation of e-bikes and e-scooters in Maryland, MDOT worked with policy makers to define the vehicles and allow them mostly the same rights and responsibilities as traditional bicycles on our roadways.

• Maryland State laws that pertain to e-scooters and other Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Devices (EPAMD) can be found here: https://roads.maryland.gov/OPPEN/acom_bike_laws4.pdf
• Maryland State laws classifying e-bikes can be found in §11–117.1
• Additional research into e-vehicles is led by the CAV working group which coordinates for the development and deployment of emerging vehicle technologies in Maryland.

Accommodating micromobility in Complete Streets design standards and processes

The most common micromobility vehicles legally follow the same regulations as traditional bicycles. The growing usage of micromobility vehicles therefore demonstrates the need for additional bicycle facilities where micromobility programs are present. Additionally, shared micromobility fleets can greatly contribute to the data and evaluation of complete streets treatments. Data conveyed through the API of electric vehicles often includes trip volume, origin/destination, and sometimes the entire route travelled, all anonymized for user privacy. MDOT is working with local programs to harness the power of this data.

• One example is Baltimore’s public dockless vehicle data dashboard: Populus | Baltimore - Routes Map

Integrating micromobility as a first-last mile connector to transit

One role micromobility can play is to bring people to and from transit. Whereas a “walkshed” or how far a person is willing to walk to get to a transit stop is only about 1 mile, research shows people will bike up to 3 miles to reach transit. This makes stops more accessible and helps more people reach their destinations without relying on a motor vehicles. MDOT is working to make these combination trips by building connections for people walking and biking, providing bicycle parking at transit stops and transit oriented development, and by including shared micromobility programs in transit user apps.

• Learn more about bike and scooters to access MTA, including parking at stations, here.
• Learn more about bikes and scooters on MTA MARC Trains here.
• For more information about bike parking in Baltimore, MTA’s core service area, please visit Baltimore City’s Bike and Scooter parking website here.

Assisting local jurisdictions which manage permits or contracts for shared micromobility programs

Shared micromobility programs in Maryland are managed by local jurisdictions, not MDOT, but MDOT still plays a role. Since recommendations in the 2050 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, MDOT launched a working group of programs across the state. This group is working to share standards for operations of the programs and for riding the shared vehicles. By making expectations more clear for riders, the group aims to make riding safer for everyone. By making contracting documents align, the working group aims to improve the Maryland market for operating companies like Lyft, Lime, Spin, VeoRide, and Bird.

• See the list of shared micromobility programs in Maryland below.

Recommended Reading and Resources

• NACTO Bike Share and Shared Micromobility Initiative: This is the page of the National Association of City Transportation Officials dedicated to the state of the practice, resources, and research on shared micromobility.
• Better Bikeshare Partnership: This is the homepage for the BBS partnership which aims to build equitable and replicable shared micromobility systems.
• NABSA: This is the homepage for the North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association.
• Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC): SUMC is a technical resource center funded by USDOT, which has developed a Micromobility Policy Atlas. They offer guidance on Mobility Hubs, as well as learning modules on bikesharing and scootersharing.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Micromobility Page (PBIC)

Shared Micromobility Programs in Maryland

Several cities and counties in Maryland have micromobility programs, including both dockless and docked options. Dockless vehicles (e.g., e-scooters) do not need to be parked at a bike rack or other designated location, whereas docked vehicles (e.g., Capital Bikeshare bikes) need to be parked at designated locations.

Most micromobility programs operate as public-private partnerships between operators and local governments. This requires cooperation between operators and local governments to maintain equitable access, promote the safety of riders and non-riders and ensure transportation demand is met. Many local governments, such as the City of Baltimore, choose to issue annual permits to micromobility operators. The permitting structure allows local governments to maintain control of the program and adjust permit requirements as needed. Other municipalities, like the City of Annapolis, enter into single operator agreements through which a sole operator provides all of the City’s micromobility services.

For more information about active micromobility programs in Maryland, kindly visit the different program websites below;

• Aberdeen: Dockless Vehicle Program | Program information
• Annapolis: Dockless Vehicle Service Contract | Program information
• Baltimore City: Dockless Vehicle Permit Program | Program Website
• Howard County: Dockless Vehicle Permit | Program information
• Montgomery County: Dockless Vehicle permit and Capital Bikeshare | Program information
• Prince George’s County: Capital Bikeshare | Program information
• Salisbury: Dockless Vehicle Permit information | Program information
• University of Maryland program information | Program information