The city of Hartford will be losing its electric scooters at the end of this year.
The operator behind the Link scooters, Superpedestrian, is ceasing all operations in the U.S. at the end of 2023, according to reports from TechCrunch.
In response, Hartford officials and the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) said Tuesday they’re working to secure a new provider for the popular alternative transit offering.
City and CRCOG officials confirmed that the closures include Hartford, where nearly 800 riders regularly utilize the scooters. Officials said the “departure is not the end for alternative transportation in Hartford,” and officials are already working to identify new steps to secure a new scooter provider.
Superpedestrian first launched in Hartford in 2021 after a request for proposal from CRCOG. Since then, CRCOG said there have been nearly 500,000 rides and more than 920,000 miles traveled on the scooters.
CRCOG officials said there are no specifics on the process or policy for refunds for those who have purchased some sort of scooter service plan from Superpedestrian, and those with questions should contact company officials via email at support@superpedestrian.com.
Superpedestrian isn’t the first alternative transit company to enter and then leave Hartford.
In early 2019, Limebike, a bicycle-sharing service, ended an eight-month pilot program in the city. The company did not say why the initiative was discontinued, though some Hartford officials speculated that a combination of stolen and vandalized bikes and a lack of opportunity to expand into e-scooters likely played a role in the decision.
A year later, CRCOG signed a contract with bike-sharing startup Zagster. CRCOG officials said Zagster bikes would be made available first in Hartford and then in a number of surrounding communities, but the plan never came to fruition.
