Electric scooters not coming to Columbia for at least a year

COLUMBIA,SC (WOLO)- Columbia city council unanimously voted to kick electric scooters to the curb for one year while they review safety measures.

The vote on Tuesday night meant that companies that already have tried to implement the eclectic devices will have to stop.

“They have to stop their business right now,”Councilman Howard Duvall said. “We’re not going to allow any of the scooters on the street until we know how to regulate this new form of transportation.”

The electric scooters have already popped up in major cities like Atlanta and Charlotte. Now companies want to bring them to the soda city.

The electric devices are promoted as affordable, Eco friendly and easy to use. But city council members say they want to be in front of the curve.

“Looking at safety issues, the management of the scooters as far as being left on the sidewalks and scattered about,” Duvall said. “We’re looking at the construction of the scooter to make sure those that we license in Columbia will be well constructed to modern standards.”

Duvall says several companies have expressed intrest in bringing their business to Columbia.

Officials say the year long ordinance is an emergency measure to protect the public.

“It would be hard to take a scooter down the roads and a lot of places in Columbia because of the potholes and the other things that we have that department of transportation is working to get fixed,” Duvall said.

While it’s at a red light now, some think the issue will get the green light further down the road.

“I think we will have scooters eventually,”Duvall said. “We just need to get on top of this new form of transportation to make sure its safe.”