The Gist: Around 1/4th of U.S. adults say they’re likely to use Lime or other scooter-shares. 


Ride-hailing giant Uber recently invested in Lime, an electric scooter-share company valued at $1.1 billion. This acquisition comes just a few months after the company’s estimated $200 million purchase of Jump, an electric bike-sharing company. Also this month, Lyft acquired Motivate, the parent company of CitiBike, for a reported $250 million.

Like bike-shares and the early days of Uber and Lyft, scooter-shares have been popping up all over the U.S. – Bird, Spin, Scoot, and Skip, for example. It appears that the two largest ride-hailing companies might be trying to diversify their offerings with the acquisitions of these transportation services.

With moves from Lyft and Uber into non-car-ride-hailing models, it begs the question: who’s going to be the most likely to use a scooter-share service?

CivicScience polled over 2,000 adults in the U.S. to understand the likelihood of usage for Uber’s new Lime scooter-share and for scooter-shares in general. 

Overall, around 25% of U.S. adults say they are either very or somewhat likely to use the Lime scooters: 

While the majority of adults say they’re not at all likely, we wonder how likely it is for that to change – especially since rideshare apps usage has been steadily increasing:

Gen Xers are the most likely to consider using Lime through Uber at 44% followed by 37% of Millennials. Baby Boomers are the least likely to use them.

Environmental Concerns

People who are more likely to use Lime are more likely to be concerned about the environment. 42% of Lime scooter intenders in the U.S. say they’re very concerned about the environment and 18% are somewhat concerned, meaning that over half (60%) of Lime intenders are conscious about environmental impact.

With that said, it’s not surprising that 33% of U.S adults who say they’re very or somewhat likely to use Lime try to adjust their lifestyles to help the environment whenever they can. 34% say they try to as well, but only if it’s convenient. If Uber, and other ride-hailing or scooter companies, can continue to make this alternative transportation option convenient, this population might be more likely to use Lime.   

Transportation Habits

People who take public transit, bike, or walk to commute to work are more likely to consider using Lime. This could also tie into environmental sentiment – people who choose a less-polluting option to get to work (public transportation, biking, walking) are more likely to consider another less-polluting transportation option.

It also makes sense that Millennials and Gen Xers are most likely to show interest in using Lime because their work commutes are more likely to be on public transportation, biking, or walking (84% combined).

Lime is attracting people who say they’re active. Of people who are likely to use Lime, over half, 51%, exercise several times a week. The more active a person says they are, the more likely they are likely to consider using Lime scooters.

Other Scooter-Shares

Since there are a variety of scooter-shares available in cities across the U.S., CivicScience also researched public opinions about scooter-shares in general and what those intenders look like from a high level. Over 1,900 U.S. adults were asked about their intention to use a scooter-share service.

The split for the likelihood of usage for scooter-shares, in general, is in-line with usage for Lime scooters through Uber – about 1/4th of U.S. adults would be very or somewhat likely to use the service, while ¾ say they won’t at all.

Of people who say they’re very or somewhat likely:

  • 29% are Market Mavens — they’re “likely to try new products before other people do”.
  • 41% are Millennials
  • 37% are Gen Xers
  • 51% are very concerned about the environment and 42% adjust their lifestyles to help the environment any time they can
  • Almost half (47%) make under $50,000 before tax. According to Curb, in U.S. cities, a rider using Lime in conjunction with public transit would pay roughly 80% less than they would if they owned a vehicle.

It seems that scooter-shares are in their infancy; only time will tell if scooters will become one of the more popular modes of transport.