Scooter rules get more strict on UT campus

While the city of Austin is taking a short break from dockless-vehicle (aka scooter) buildup, the University of Texas will begin enforcing its own regulations on the vehicles on its campus immediately, KUT reported Tuesday.

Under the new university regulations, scooters improperly parked on campus will be impounded, and the relevant scooter company will be charged $150 per offense. (Scooter companies are free to pass on this charge to users, a likely—perhaps even a sure—bet.)

Scooters parked on campus in a manner that blocks any sidewalk, walkway, ramp, thoroughfare, or the like will be subject to impoundment and a fine, but dockless vehicles can be parked at bicycle racks. UT will also designate 10 parking zones specifically for scooters and will consider adding more in the future.

In addition to parking rules, the school is considering regulations that include an 8 mph speed limit on campus and the prohibition of faculty and staff from work-related use of the scooters.

School rules currently restrict scooter use to areas where bicycle traffic is allowed, ban vehicle charging on campus, give pedestrians right-of-way, and call for the exercise of safety and caution in general.

A central Austin area that includes Downtown and the UT campus saw significantly more scooter trips than any other area where they were deployed in 2018, according to a map recently created and published by KUT and based on numbers shared by the city transportation department.

• Dockless Companies Now Face $150 Fines For Scooters Parked In The Wrong Places At UT [KUT]

• MAP: Here’s Where Everyone Rode Dockless Scooters In Austin In 2018 [KUT]