Understanding public perceptions of shared e-scooters: An investigation from rider and non-rider perspectives

The rapid growth of e-scooter sharing schemes has sparked both enthusiasm and controversy, prompting cities to develop new regulations to address safety, accessibility, and public space management. The attitudes and behaviours of both riders and non-riders can determine the success or otherwise of shared e-scooter services, rendering public perceptions of these schemes a key source of information for policymakers and practitioners. Using data from an online survey of riders (N = 401) and three non-rider focus groups (N = 24) across three trial locations, this paper examines public perceptions of shared e-scooters from the perspective of both riders and non-riders. The analysis explores the themes of awareness of shared e-scooters, perceived benefits of shared e-scooter use and perceived barriers of use. We then focus solely on riders and explore rider satisfaction (including latent class modelling), motivations for use and future intentions to use shared e-scooters. Findings reveal clear distinctions in perceptions between riders and non-riders of shared e-scooters. Riders generally have a positive view of the shared e-scooter trial and are likely to continue their use. Disparities in gender, age, and income among riders highlight the need for inclusive design of shared schemes. The perception among non-riders is shaped by both their level of awareness of the scheme and their indirect experiences with the vehicles, with concerns related to levels of awareness of the trial scheme, uncertainty about riding rules, safety issues, and difficulty distinguishing between shared and privately owned e-scooters.