Journal of Transport and Land Use

Cities with dense networks of shared scooter parking have higher parking compliance

Sian Meng

Zhengzhou University

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1030-8709

Anne Brown

University of Oregon

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5009-8331

Calvin Thigpen

Lime

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4284-2882

Brandon Haydu

Lime

Nicholas J. Klein

Cornell University

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7596-6147

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5198/jtlu.2025.2469

Keywords: Shared e-scooter, Parking density, Parking compliance, Land use, Parking demand

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Abstract

Many cities seek solutions to address public concerns about non-compliant shared electric scooter (e-scooter) parking. One strategy is to provide designated parking areas, called “corrals.” However, it remains unclear how much parking infrastructure is needed to improve compliance, or how this varies by land use. To address this gap, our study investigates: How dense does a network of dedicated shared micromobility parking need to be to increase compliance? How large should parking corrals be to meet demand? And how do these relationships vary by land use? We used e-scooter and built environment data in 12 cities worldwide and conducted descriptive, regression, and non-linear analyses. Results reveal that providing at least 20-30 parking corrals per square kilometer (about 50-80 per square mile or a one-minute walk in gridded areas) dramatically improves parking compliance. The spatial distribution of corrals is particularly important in areas with low corral density, where providing uniform coverage can significantly reduce parking non-compliance rates. Land-use intensity variables are non-linearly associated with parking non-compliance but suggest that parking corrals should have greater capacity in areas with more leisure, mixed-use, office, transit, and tourism destinations compared to places with more commercial or residential destinations. These findings offer direct policy recommendations to improve parking compliance and better match demand.

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