Introduction

On December 7, 2021, the City Council approved the City's Shared Mobility Permit Program (Program) which established Shared Mobility Permit Administrative Regulations and a permitting process in which privately operated shared mobility companies can obtain an operating permit to provide scooters and bicycles for rent in Santa Clara. These bicycles and scooters can be operated on roadways within Santa Clara subject to City and State regulations.

Operators

Currently, there are no companies with a shared mobility permit to operate in the city. This page will be updated in the future when operating permits are issued to shared mobility companies.

Operating rules and who to contact with inquiries or concerns

Bicycle and Scooter users must download the operator's app and enter into a rental agreement to rent a device. Available devices will be shown on maps within the app. To end a ride, a user must find an appropriate parking location. 

Before riding a device, educate yourself on the basic operating rules:

• Devices shall not operate in City parks, excluding the San Tomas Aquino / Saratoga Creek Trail
• Riders:
  • should wear a helmet for safety
  • must be over the age of 18 and hold a valid driver's license
  • must follow all traffic rules, signals, and signs
  • must ride in the bicycle lane or vehicle lane with the flow of traffic
  • must yield to pedestrians and walk scooters on sidewalks when parking
  • must not ride scooters under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Only one rider is allowed on an electric scooter at a time
• Riders shall park devices upright and in a manner that does not block or obstruct pedestrian and bicyclist access to public facilities including:
  • any fire hydrant, call box or other emergency facility
  • rail platforms, bus benches, transit shelters and passenger waiting areas
  • utility poles or boxes
  • time limit parking zones, loading zones, disabled parking zones
  • within 15 feet of a curb ramp
  • within 10 feet of an entryway, exit and driveway
  • within an area that requires pedestrian access (e.g. benches, transit shelters, receptacles, etc.)

If a device is knocked over, parked incorrectly, found in a prohibited area, damaged, inoperable or on private property, the public should call or email the device operator via the 24-hour customer service contact. The operator is responsible for retrieving the devices. 

The Police Department is enforcing the Vehicle Code and City Code violations. Public Safety Dispatchers should only be called in the following instances:

• A device is involved in a collision
• A rider suffers a significant injury requiring medical attention

For non-emergency situations call 408-615-5580. In an emergency, dial 9-1-1. Please also use the City's MySantaClara app to report issues with shared mobility devices. 

Documents

• Shared Mobility Operator data for fiscal years 2022/2023
• Shared Mobility Operator data for fiscal years 2023/2024
• Heat Maps

Contact 

For any questions on the Shared Mobility Permit Administrative Regulations or the program itself, email Ralph Garcia at RGarcia1@SantaClaraCA.gov.