Lime ends shared small-vehicle pilot in Overland Park; staff to seek alternatives for 2026

Lorraine, public works staff, told the committee that Lime has notified the city it will no longer operate its shared small-vehicle pilot in Overland Park. The pilot had begun under an April 2024 agreement that deployed about 200 e-scooters and e-bikes in the city, and staff said they will spend the remainder of 2025 evaluating other options with hopes of starting a replacement program in 2026.

Lorraine said staff were encouraged by 2024 usage data but that Lime did not provide a specific reason for exiting: “No specific reason was given, so we can only speculate,” she said. Staff noted possible causes could include ridership levels, deployment logistics, or company strategic changes, but emphasized the company did not identify a cause during the notification.

Committee members said they were disappointed but supportive of seeking a replacement. One committee member noted there still appeared to be demand for shared small-vehicle service and urged staff to pursue alternatives; another observed that privately owned scooters in the community might have affected shared-service ridership.

Background and data: Staff reported the April 2024 launch deployed approximately 200 e-scooters and e-bikes within city boundaries. Staff cited usage data from 2024 when describing the pilot's local performance; specific trip totals were discussed in the meeting packet and by staff during the presentation.

Next steps: Staff told the committee it will use 2025 to explore other vendors or program structures with the goal of relaunching a shared small-vehicle program in 2026, if a viable partner is found.

Why it matters: Shared micro-mobility programs can expand first-mile/last-mile options and affect traffic patterns and curb space; losing an operator mid-pilot pauses the city's data-driven assessment of longer-term program viability.