Equity zone policies in Baltimore City for shared E-scooters: Notes from the field

IntroductionE-scooters are transforming urban environments by improving mobility for those without access to a motor vehicle or in areas underserved by transit. Shared e-scooters are not often distributed equitably throughout cities, so state and local policies that govern their distribution could be a viable public health intervention that helps create a more equitable transportation system. Baltimore City, Maryland, USA requires shared e-scooter vendors to deploy e-scooters to predefined equity zones at the beginning of each day. This study reports on the equity zone policies established by Baltimore City, shared e-scooter use in these equity zones, and suggestions for improvement from shared e-scooter users.