The City of Oakland's Department of Transportation manages shared mobility services including car share, bike share, and scooter share in the public right of way. The following principles guide the development of these services:
Inclusive outreach and engagement
In order to meet the needs of those being underserved by our transportation system, shared mobility services should be designed with meaningful input and decision-making power from low-income communities, communities of color, and persons experiencing disabilities. These communities should also be consulted and actively engaged during the mobility needs assessment, planning, decision-making and rollout of the service.
Racial Equity
The communities of East Oakland, Fruitvale and West Oakland, where high number of Latino, Black and low income residents live, are underserved by transportation options, including shared mobility. Shared mobility services should be designed in a way that maximizes benefits and minimizes burdens while giving communities opportunities to have decision making authority. Shared mobility services should include these communities and their common destinations in their service area, identify and reduce barriers to access, ensure that their service does not allow or perpetuate discrimination based on race, and provides health and economic benefits.
Traffic Safety
Low-income communities of color face disproportionately high rates of severe and fatal traffic injuries. Shared mobility services should be intentionally designed to increase safety for all users of the transportation system by reducing collisions on roads, sidewalks and public rights of way. Instructions for safe operation and vehicle parking should be integral to every shared mobility service, in order to avoid blocking sidewalks, bike paths and transit routes. Any fines for improper parking or operation should not be passed on to the user unless sufficient education has been provided.
Equitable Access to services
Shared mobility services should provide greater physical, cultural, financial and digital access to transportation options for low income communities of color and persons with disabilities. Shared mobility should be designed to link these populations to jobs, schools, housing, health care facilities, grocery stores, mass transit and other essential services.
Public transit
Shared mobility services should facilitate and complement the use of public transportation by co-locating services with transit stops, designating pick up and drop off zones so as not to impede transit, providing service in transit-poor areas, integrating payment with transit fares, and avoiding direct competition with high-frequency transit routes. Equitable pricing structures for vehicle-based shared mobility should minimize negative impact on low- and moderate-income individuals and the use and quality of mass transit, walking, and biking.
Affordability
Shared mobility should help lower combined housing and transportation costs for low-income communities. The prices of these services should be low enough to allow low-income individuals to regularly use the service, or deeply discounted options should be provided. Those without credit cards or bank accounts should be able to pay by cash.
Healthy communities and environment
Shared mobility should reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, especially in low income communities of color that face a disproportionately high burden of air pollution. Shared mobility should promote active modes of transportation. Shared mobility should also promote climate resiliency by planning for flooding and sea level rise and coordinating a standardized response to assist in case of emergencies, natural disasters, or evacuations.
Employment and economic development
Shared mobility should provide well-paying jobs with fair labor practices and help reduce disparities in employment and pay. These services should create pathways to economic opportunity and ownership within the transportation industry by hiring locally, partnering with workforce development organizations, providing job training, paying a stable living wage and contracting with local disadvantaged business enterprises.
Privacy and personal data
Shared mobility should protect privacy and allow personal control over personal data. App based services should clearly communicate with the City and with the public which private data is being collected, and how it will be used. This data reporting should be standardized.
Collaboration and accountability
Shared mobility providers should commit to partnering with the City of Oakland to help achieve an equitable transportation system. This collaboration may include data sharing agreements, community benefits agreements, equity focused pilot projects, and other programs. Shared mobility providers should not intentionally deceive regulators or withhold critical information.