Transit analyzed data for the last six months of DC’s dockless scooter pilot and revealed that, at the beginning of last summer, 4.8% if its app users had downloaded a scooter company’s dedicated app; that has grown to nearly 9% today. But Transit asserts users have “download fatigue” and are less likely to download additional scooter companies’ apps, in some instances preventing consumers from finding the scooter that’s actually closest to them or most reasonably priced.
The report suggests if users don’t download multiple scooter apps and therefore can’t see all their scooter options at once, scooters may cease to be a reliable, daily commuting option. But open APIs could double the number of scooters available to users without actually putting more scooters on the streets. Plus, open data allows smaller micromobility companies to compete with those that are larger and more well known.
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