09.04.02 – Micromobility (Bicycles and Scooters) on Campus

Section: Facilities

Area: Facilities Management and Maintenance Information

I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The purpose of this document is to explain micromobility registration on campus, regulate micromobility on-campus operation and parking, describe pick-up of abandoned and seemingly abandoned micromobility, and detail procedures for the removal of micromobility impeding access to and egress from buildings. This includes roles and responsibilities of micromobility owners on campus, Parking and Transportation Services, and the University of Houston Fire Marshal’s Office. For the safe operation of vehicles not covered by this policy, please review SAM 01.C.15 – Pedestrian Safety.

II. POLICY

The University of Houston is committed to ensuring a safe and proficient physical environment in support of students, faculty, staff and visitors. This includes maintaining areas across campus that accumulate parked and possibly abandoned micromobility devices.

III. DEFINITIONS

A. Abandoned Micromobility Devices - Micromobility devices that may have a flat tire or inoperable parts or otherwise not able to be ridden or whose owners do not respond after being officially tagged for three weeks.

B. Access - Any path of travel, either exterior or interior, that provides access to and throughout a facility or therefrom. This would include, but shall not be limited to, interior and exterior walkways, stairs, stairwells, ramps, and corridors.

C. Accessible Route - A continuous unobstructed path connecting all accessible elements and spaces of a building or facility. Interior accessible routes may include corridors, floors, ramps, elevators, lifts, and clear floor space at fixtures. Exterior accessible routes may include parking access spaces, curb ramps, crosswalks at vehicular ways, walks, ramps, and lifts.

D. Bicycle – A device capable of being operated using human power, with two or more wheels, and including electric bicycles as defined by Texas Transportation Code, excluding mopeds.

E. Micromobility Device Owners - Students, faculty and staff who own or lease micromobility devices and choose to bring it on campus.

F. Egress - Any path of travel used to exit a building including, but shall not be limited to, interior and exterior walkways, stairs, stairwells, ramps and corridors.

G. Egress, Means of - A continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel from any point in a building or facility to a public way. A means of egress consists of vertical and/or horizontal travel; also may include intervening room spaces, doorways, hallways, corridors, passageways, balconies, ramps, stairs, enclosures, lobbies, horizontal exits, courts and yards.

H. Micromobility – Lightweight human or electric powered vehicles including but not limited to bicycles, scooters, skateboards, roller blades, roller skates, hover boards, and similar devices, powered by combustion engine, electric power, electric assist, or analog mechanism used for personal travel. These micromobility devices may be personally owned, borrowed, leased, or rented. Micromobility does not include golf carts, neighborhood electric vehicles, low-speed vehicle (four-wheeler), or other motorized vehicles used to transport multiple passengers.

I. Obstruction - Any item that interferes with the normal flow of pedestrian traffic in a facility access or egress path. This would include, but shall not be limited to, items such as micromobility devices chained to handrails, motorcycles parked in facility entrance areas, office furnishings, laboratory equipment, boxes of books, and any other items that might hinder access or egress.

J. PTS – Parking and Transportation Services Department, a department within the Office of Administration and responsible for the regulation of all parked vehicles and parked micromobility devices and associated parking infrastructure on university property, including but not limited to garages, parking lots, and campus micromobility racks/areas.

K. Repeated Violations - When an item has been issued an Access/Egress Violation and is removed within 24 hours, but the item is repeatedly returned to the same location or a similar location so as to cause an obstruction.

L. Scooter - A small, lightweight device that is operated while standing and consists of a narrow footboard mounted between or atop wheels tandem that has an upright steering handle attached to the front wheel, and that is capable of being moved by pushing with one foot. Scooters may be electric only, electric assist, or analog.

M. UHFMO - University of Houston Fire Marshal’s Office, a department within Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness (713-743-5595).

IV. REGISTRATION OF MICROMOBILITY DEVICES ON CAMPUS

A. Prior to parking micromobility devices on campus, every micromobility device owner must register them with Parking and Transportation Services. This registration process is free. Information on the registration process can be found on the PTS website. Registering micromobility devices assists with identification of the owner in the event of a theft so that recovered micromobility devices can be returned to the owner. Registration also helps when proof of ownership is needed.

B. PTS will encourage, promote, and build awareness regarding registration of micromobility devices on campus.

C. Micromobility devices equipped with an electric motor must be manufactured on or after January 2016 and comply, at minimum, with UL2272. Modern micromobility must comply with UL2849, established in January 2020. At minimum, electric motor equipped devices must comply with either 2272 and/or 2849 for use and registration on university property.

V. OPERATION OF MICROMOBILITY

A. Micromobility operators (motorized or otherwise) must operate their micromobility devices in a safe manner at all times. This means they must practice courteous defensive riding, travel at safe speeds, and maintain control at all times.

B. Micromobility operators (motorized or otherwise) must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at all times.

C. Micromobility operators (motorized or otherwise) must obey all rules of the road, including traffic signs and signals, and must follow all applicable state and local laws and ordinances.

D. Micromobility operators on campus, including on sidewalks, bike paths, and shared use paths, shall not exceed a speed that is reasonable and prudent, or take action that endangers property or the safety of any person. Users must consider the number of pedestrians or other micromobility devices present, visibility, traffic, weather, and surface conditions that exist at the time.

E. Reckless or negligent operation of all micromobility (motorized or otherwise) on any part of campus is prohibited.

VI. AREAS DESIGNATED FOR MICROMOBILITY PARKING

A. Micromobility devices must be parked and locked only to designated bicycle parking racks and scooter parking areas.

If micromobility are tied to, locked to, fastened to or leaning on other items outdoors such as light poles, trees, benches, stairwells, fencing, etc., they are subject to removal.

B. Micromobility devices are not allowed inside buildings unless stored in an approved building location for this activity (office, storage room, residence hall room) or while being transported to these locations; however, operation of micromobility devices inside buildings is prohibited. Micromobility devices found in interior common areas, such as building lobbies or stairwells, are subject to immediate removal.

C. New building construction and major building and public space renovation projects on campus shall include new bike racks in compliance with University Design Guidelines maintained by Facilities Planning and Construction.

VII. REPAIRS FOR BICYCLES AND RACKS

A. In an effort to keep bicycles working properly and from becoming abandoned, repair stations are located on campus.

B. PTS will encourage, promote, and build awareness regarding repairs of bicycles through various outreach programming.

C. If a bicycle rack needs a repair, please contact FIXIT through the 4 Ways to FIXIT (https://uh.edu/facilities-services/services/fixit/).

VIII. MICROMOBILITY DEVICE IMPEDING ACCESS AND EGRESS FROM BUILDINGS

A. Access and egress paths shall be free from any and all obstacles that may hinder normal traffic flow.

B. Handrails and guardrails shall be kept free and clear and shall not be used to secure bicycles, scooters, or any other micromobility device that might interfere with or hinder normal pedestrian traffic flow.

C. The University will not be responsible for any locks, chains, and/or cables etc. that may be removed, nor for any damage or loss that may result from the removal and storage of the micromobility devices. Owners shall be responsible for all costs of removal and storage.

D. To report obstacles to access and/or egress paths, contact the UHFMO to investigate the matter.

E. UHFMO will investigate all reports of obstacles to access and/or egress paths upon receipt of a complaint call, hazard report or personal observation by a UHFMO staff member.

F. A written warning will be attached to micromobility devices advising that the item is an obstruction and should be removed within 24 hours. If the device has not been removed, a second written warning will be issued with a statement that if the item is not removed within 24 hours, it will be removed and placed in storage at PTS. Repeated violations within a 24-hour period will result in the device being removed by the UHFMO and placed at PTS.

G. UHFMO shall have the authority to remove any device that, in their opinion, poses an immediate danger to the occupants of the facility.

IX. ABANDONED BICYCLE AND SCOOTER CLEAN-UP

A. Abandoned and nonfunctional micromobility devices should be reported to Parking and Transportation Services at parking@uh.edu.

B. PTS will designate a time period at least once a year to tag bicycles, scooters, and other items attached to bicycle racks (including locks) around campus that appear abandoned.

C. Tagging and pick-up dates will be published and distributed through electronic notifications.

D. Tags placed on seemingly abandoned bicycles and scooters will serve as the notice to the device owners. Collection will begin approximately three weeks after notification.

E. During the designated pick-up dates, micromobility devices will be removed. They will then be stored for 60 days if not registered and 90 days if registered. PTS will make every attempt (registered letter, phone call, e-mail) to alert a registered device owner about the removal and resolve the situation before donating, disposing, or selling the device.

F. If there are questions prior to or during the tagging process, they should be directed to PTS.

X. DISPOSAL OF REMOVED BICYCLES AND SCOOTERS

A. If removal is deemed necessary, the University will not be responsible for any locks, chains, and/or cables, etc. that may be removed, nor for any damage or loss that may result from the removal and storage of the device. Owners shall be responsible for all costs of removal and storage.

B. After the micromobility devices have reached disposal maturity date, it is at the discretion of PTS to donate, dispose, or sell the property.

C. All questions after removal of items should be directed to PTS.

XI. COMPLIANCE

The campus seeks to secure compliance of this policy by establishing a culture of cooperation, courtesy, and mutual respect for the safety of each individual in the community. Measures to enforce the regulations in this policy may include warning notification, impoundment, citation, and/or immobilization (“booting”).