A gradual rollout of up to 400 of Neuron’s e-scooters and 75 e-bikes in Maroochydore and Mooloolaba will start in June as part of a 18-month trial with the Sunshine Coast Council to support a new rental e-mobility program there.
The company says it will invest significantly into the city, creating about 30 jobs.
Neuron says its e-scooters and e-bikes are packed with safety features including geofencing control, integrated helmets, a 000-emergency button, voice guidance, Follow My Ride and topple detection.
“We are delighted to have been chosen by Sunshine Coast Council to provide our e-scooters and e-bikes as part of the trial and thank them for their trust and support,” says Neuron Mobility regional manager Tim Morris.
“E-scooters and e-bikes are really well suited to Maroochydore and Mooloolaba and they will be a great way for locals as well as tourists to travel in a safe, convenient and environmentally friendly way.”
The Sunshine Coast will be the sixth city in Queensland to benefit from Neuron’s e-scooters, with the company already running successful operations in Brisbane, Townsville, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Yeppoon.
Elsewhere, cities and towns across all Australian states and territories already have the company’s e-scooters, built to a commercial grade specifically for renting.
Sunshine Coast Council chief executive Emma Thomas says the trial is in line with the council’s Environment and Liveability Strategy and aims to foster healthy, smart and creative solutions to how people live and move around the region.
“As more people move to our beautiful Sunshine Coast, it’s important to protect our amazing lifestyle,’’ she says.
“Council aims to strike a balance between the natural environment and the transport needs of residents across the Coast.
“A happy, healthy community is a council priority and this new e-transport trial will enhance our Sunshine Coast lifestyle.”
Neuron is working with the council to ensure safety provisions are in place.
Advanced geofencing technology will control where the e-scooters and e-bikes will be ridden and how fast they can travel in certain areas. Geofencing will also ensure they are parked in one of the many designated parking locations across the city.
New Neuron riders have to sign up to a comprehensive list of riding rules before they are allowed to take their first trip.
Riders can also visit the company’s education platform ScootSafe Academy, an interactive, online riding school with city-specific training content that can help to educate riders.
A recent report – Shared Rides, Shared Wealth – shows that two thirds of Neuron e-scooter journeys result in a purchase with a local business across Australia and 46% of trips reduce a car journey. According to the findings, each Neuron e-scooter contributes A$70,000 to local economies annuallyu, with riders spending an average of $65 at local businesses per trip.
Riders will be able to book and use the e-scooters and e-bikes through Neuron’s app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play and set up in minutes.
Queensland rules and safety tips include Neuron riders being 16 years old and above, one rider per device (no tandem riding with children), mandatory helmet wearing, no riding under the influence of alcohol or any other substance, e-scooters can be ridden on footpaths and shared paths at up to 12km/h unless signed otherwise, and on road bike lanes and low-speed roads at up to 50km/h.
E-scooters cannot be ridden in bike lanes on roads over 50km/h, while e-bikes can be ridden on bicycle lanes, roads, footpaths and shared paths except where bicycles are prohibited.
A safe distance between riders and pedestrians must be maintained, with riders giving way to pedestrians and mobility devices (such as wheelchairs) at all times.
Riders should also park responsibly in designated parking areas and ensure vehicles are parked upright.
Click here for more information about Neuron.
