As the city of Dallas gets ready to charge permitting and bike fees, the number of rental bikes on the streets dwindles.
If you live or work in some parts of Dallas, you may have noticed fewer bike shares crowding the sidewalks. The city is getting ready to charge bike share and scooter companies an $800 a year permit fee and $21 per bike each year.
"I think they'll be a little more mindful of their fleet sizes once they're paying for that bike or scooter to be sitting out there," said Jared White from the city's transpiration department.
For about a year, Dallas took a hands-off approach to rental bike regulation. White has worked on the permitting process. "If it's not making money for them, then they might be wasting money having it out on the street," White said.
"The rental bikes are a good thing," said regular Katy Trail rider Stephen Boyd. "But I think there were just way too many."
The new fees are making at least one bike share company evaluate its fleet.
Ofo, the yellow bikes, told NBC 5 it is reducing the number of bikes on the street in Dallas.
In a statement Ofo's General Manager in Texas, Everett Weller, wrote, "We commend Dallas for welcoming dockless shared mobility before crafting regulations, unfortunately these new rules are a step backward with such exorbitant fees that will drastically reduce access to affordable transportation options."
