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Committee endorses tougher rules and fines for unpermitted shared mobility operators
Summary
San Francisco staff recommended, and the committee endorsed, amendments to the transportation code to expand parking restrictions, require authorizations for shared mobility services and create a $5,000 penalty for operating without a permit; supervisors pushed for stronger company accountability for sidewalk riding.
The committee voted to forward an ordinance to the full Board that would amend the transportation code to broaden parking restrictions for shared mobility devices, require authorization from the municipal transportation agency for shared mobility services, and create a violation for operating without authorization.
Kate Turan, director of taxis and accessible services at SFMTA, said the harmonization aims to move the city from reactive enforcement to proactive permitting, standardize reporting and enforcement tools, and coordinate with the Office of Emerging Technology. "We want to standardize our processes and tools to administer and monitor and enforce," Turan said.
Darden Ito (Office of Innovation) described a complementary set of Division 2 changes the MTA board recently approved, including a definition of "shared mobility device service" focused on shared services rather than personally owned devices, and a proof-of-concept authorization that limits pilot deployments by device count, time or geography and requires public-engagement plans and application fees.
On enforcement, SFMTA staff said parking citations already exist (examples cited were $100 or $500 for improperly parked scooters) and that the proposed operating-without-permit violation would carry a $5,000 penalty. Staff cited 69 parking citations totaling about $161,000 in the last fiscal year and reported 849 citations since July 1 of the current fiscal year (all described as parking/placement citations). SFMTA said its taxi-regulated mobility-enforcement team patrols the field and the agency can impose administrative penalties or revoke permits if companies fail to comply with permit terms.
Supervisors and a committee member pressed staff on company accountability for sidewalk riding, urging permit conditions that require providers to use device telemetry and other tools to detect and deter sidewalk riding and other misuse. "I think we have to have a different way," said Supervisor Safa'i, arguing the city should require operators to prove they can detect misuse and to use company enforcement tools rather than rely primarily on police moving citations.
SFMTA staff said permit terms already include user-accountability requirements and a complaints database; staff said there are currently four permitted operators. The committee forwarded the item to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
The ordinance would allow the MTA to fine, limit or terminate authorizations and to set a policy directive describing application requirements, public-engagement expectations, and criteria for fines or terminations.
