The city will expand its e-scooter sharing program to parts of Queens beginning in late June, the city’s Department of Transportation said Tuesday.

The expansion, first announced last June, will serve approximately 20 square miles from Flushing and Auburndale to Rochdale Village and Springfield Gardens, providing e-scooter access for about 600,000 residents.

What You Need To Know

  • The expansion in eastern Queens will serve approximately 20 square miles

  • The department piloted the program in the East Bronx in 2021

  • The city will continue to work with e-scooter share operators Bird, Lime and Veo as it rolls out the program in Queens

According to the DOT, the scooters will be placed throughout several Priority Investment Areas, as outlined in the NYC Streets Plan. These areas are described as having higher proportions of non-white and low-income populations, increased job and population density and historically lower levels of investment from the city’s DOT.

The rollout timeline still includes follow-up presentations to community boards in May, parking stations being installed in early to mid-June and the program's launch in late June, starting in the southern part of the service area.

The department originally piloted the program in the East Bronx in 2021. Since then, over 157,000 unique users have taken more than 3.8 million trips on the program’s e-scooters, the department said in a release.

“This expansion is an equitable way to bring a popular, safe, and environmentally sustainable mode of transportation to underserved neighborhoods in Queens, and we look forward to continuing our work with these communities as e-scooter share expands,” NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement.

All three companies will charge a dollar to unlock the scooters. Following the unlock fee, Veo will charge 39 cents per minute, while Lime and Bird will charge 42 cents per minute.

As per DOT regulations, the three operators must also provide discounts to low-income residents. Each company offers its own discount program accessible via their respective apps or websites.

Lime's program includes no membership fee, one free 30-minute ride daily, and a charge of four cents for each additional minute. Veo charges $5 per month, offering one free 30-minute ride daily and 20 cents for each additional minute. Bird's program, also $5 per month, provides unlimited 45-minute rides to eligible residents, with a per-minute charge of 39 cents after.

To qualify for the discount, users must be NYCHA residents or SNAP recipients. Additionally, each company offers further discounts to other eligible residents, such as senior citizens and veterans.