Dallas City Council has decided to allow electric scooter ride-shares to return to the city, after the companies were banned from operating in Dallas in late 2020. They were removed from the city over safety concerns, and some residents are unsure that the companies will be able to prevent the same thing from happening again.

Electric scooter ride-shares were considered a public nuisance because the scooters were often left abandoned in traffic, which created a road hazard. Some people used them for late-night joyrides that disturbed the peace of business owners and residents. New rules and regulations have been implemented to address some of the biggest problems that brought the program to a halt in 2020.

Dallas Department of Transportation released a 28-page document in July of 2022 outlining the Shared Dockless Vehicle Program Rules. The scooters will all be equipped with a light on the front and a red reflector on the back. The department will also establish no-ride and slow-ride zones to limit the potential of interfering with residents. A system known as "geofencing" can disable the scooters from operating outside their assigned neighborhoods.

Riders will have to send a picture of their scooter "parked legally and in a secure upright position on a hard, non-porous surface" after each trip, and they will have to pay a $20 fine if the vehicle is improperly parked. Riders who receive five penalties will have their account suspended for 30 days. 

Proponents believe the ride-shares will be good for the people of Dallas, making it easier for people to get around town without a vehicle. While they produce a small amount of CO2 during the braking process, they are very close to being a zero-emission mode of transportation. 

Critics say that the city already tried to initiate an electric scooter ride-share in the past, and the changes in program rules need to be more significant to expect different results. They also claim that the uneven pavement in several areas of the city will make it dangerous to operate the scooters.

The question up for debate: Should Dallas allow ride-share companies to operate #electricscooters in the city?