You can’t avoid them on the streets, and now you won’t be able to avoid them on your phone either.
Lime announced Tuesday its electric scooters will be listed as a transportation option on Google Maps in more than 100 cities, including Chicago.
Users will be able to see if a Lime scooter is available nearby, how long it will take to walk to the scooter and how much battery the scooter has. You’ll also get a price and time estimate for your ride.
The feature launched to Android devices Tuesday; iPhone users will have to wait until later this month.
If in an area where Lime scooters are available, users will see the scooters as an option right alongside the tabs for biking, walking and transit for short-distance travel.
“Being able to easily compare the trip time and cost of using a scooter against driving or ride shares in Google Maps will lead to more trips on scooters and reduce congestion in Chicago,” Nico Probst, a spokesman for Lime, wrote in a statement.
Lime is one of 10 companies participating in a four-month, 2,500 electric scooter pilot program in Chicago’s West, Northwest and Southwest side neighborhoods.
According to the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, the first month of the pilot program brought mixed reviews. The department reported 43% of the feedback received was positive, 46% negative and 11% neutral.
Supporters say the electric scooters improve convenient options for transportation, while critics say the scooters can be dangerous to ride and block the sidewalks.
