Lime scooter ridership booming, reports 1 million rides in Chicago this year

Electric scooter-sharing company Lime says its ridership in Chicago is booming.

The San Francisco-based company has recorded more than 1 million rides so far this year.

Lime attributes part of the boom to the 50% equity discount on the South and West sides. More than 400,000 of this year’s rides were taken in those areas, the company said Thursday.

Ridership this year accounts for the majority of Lime’s rides in Chicago. The company has recorded 1.7 million rides since Lime introduced scooters here in 2019.

Lime is among four companies with licenses to rent scooters in Chicago. The others are Superpedestrian, Spin and Lyft, which operates the city’s Divvy bikeshare program.

Electric scooters were introduced in Chicago in two pilot programs in 2019 and 2020. The city’s scooter program became permanent in 2021.

Last month, Lime said it was seeking to expand scooter access to the Lakefront Trail, where bikes from Divvy are already allowed.