E-Scooter Trial

Neuron escooter Website header

E-scooter hire company, Neuron Mobility, has been approved to operate in Yeppoon for a 12-month trial commencing in November 2022.

  • Responses to Council’s community consultation undertaken in December 2021 were positive, with 69% of respondents being in favour of the introduction of e-scooters. 

    Recreational use was the main reason survey respondents’ said they would jump on an e-scooter. The results also highlighted that community members agree that e-scooters would provide social benefits and increase tourist spend throughout the town centre, foreshore areas and beyond.

    Following community consultation, Council called for Expressions of Interest for a twelve-month hire-and-ride e-scooter trial in Yeppoon.

    An application from Neuron Mobility was approved based on their strong track record of partnering with other councils and their leadership when it comes to safety and innovation. 

    Initially, the scooters will be set up for a 12-month trial which will allow Council and Neuron to assess the viability of e-scooters in Yeppoon. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • E-scooters, or electric scooters, are a lightweight electric powered vehicles that are used in many parts of the world as a 'last mile' commuting transport option, and as a tourism transport option.

    They are variously known as Personal Electric Vehicles, micromobility devices or (under most Australian legislation) Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs).

  • The introduction of micromobility transport options aligns strategically with Livingstone Shire Council's Community Plan: Towards 2050 goal of marketing Livingstone as a destination for commerce, tourism and lifestyle.

    E-scooters will provide residents and tourists with more convenient transport options, while reducing emissions, congestion, and demand for car parking.

    Neuron analysed rider data and surveyed more than 5,000 riders across 12 Australian cities that operate e-scooters and their findings are available in their Natinoal Prosperity Report: Shared Rides, Shared Wealth report. 

    Neuron Report Stats

  • Riders will be able to book and use the e‐scooters through the Neuron Mobility app available on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

    Riders can choose to pay-as-you-go, or purchase a Neuron passes allowing users to ride as many times as they want for up to 90 minutes per day, with no additional unlocking fees.  For the most up-to-date pricing and promotions, please check the Neuron app.

    It is not necessary to have a licence to ride a participating e-scooter, however drink and drug driving restrictions that apply to other motorists will also apply to e-scooter riders. Riders in breach of these restrictions face heavy fines or risk losing their licence.

    The e-scooters have a weight limit of 140kg (total weight, i.e. rider and cargo).

    Geofencing technology will also control where e‐scooters are ridden and parked, and how fast they can travel in certain areas. In Yeppoon this will include a No Riding Zone in Normanby Street between Anzac Parade and Hill Street.

  • Neuron riders must be at least 16 years old and must wear a helmet when riding the e-scooters. 

  • Neuron e-scooters Yeppoon riding area resized for web

    Neuron’s e-scooters are fitted with a range of safety features. They are fitted with GPS and geofencing technology which controls where they can be ridden and parked and their speed in different areas. E-scooters cannot leave the boundaries of the e-scooter trial’s riding area and there are slow-zones, no-ride zones and no-parking zones in place to improve safety.

    As part of the trial, e-scooters will be restricted to footpaths and shared paths. They are also permitted in bike lanes on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or less, any physically separated bike lane and approved local roads.

  • Neuron have a full suite of measures to promote safe and responsible riding, including:

    • Safe, stable and sustainable design: Neuron’s e-scooters are visibly bigger and more robust than other e-scooters, they are designed in-house and manufactured specifically for safety and sharing. They have larger (11.5”) wheels and wider (8.3”) footplates for increased stability and rider experience, giving riders extra confidence. They are fitted with swappable batteries for more sustainable operations.
       
    • Advanced geofencing technology: All e-scooters are GPS-connected and managed by geofencing technology to control where they can be ridden and parked and how fast they can travel in certain areas. For example, in Yeppoon the maximum speed will be limited to 25km/h in designated bicyle lanes on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h and e-scooter speed is limited to 12km/h on shared pathways.
       
    • World-first Helmet Lock: The e-scooters feature the world’s first app-controlled Helmet Lock which secures a safety helmet to every e-scooter, electronically releasing it to use at the start of the booking. Neuron also incentivises helmet wearing with a $0.50 credit to those who take a ‘helmet selfie’ before starting their trip.
       
    • Voice Guidance: Riders will benefit from Voice Guidance to educate them how to travel and park safely. They also provide riders with the very best safety education through in-app messaging, in person ScootSafe events and the company's new safety platform ScootSafe Academy, aimed at educating riders with bespoke incentivised training modules so they know how to use our vehicles in a safe and responsible way.
       
    • Topple detection, 000 Emergency Button, and “Follow my Ride”: E-scooters have a topple detection feature which alerts Neuron’s operations team if one has been left on its side so it can quickly be repositioned safely.  A 000 Emergency Button feature can detect if a rider has had a fall and help call emergency services. The “Follow My Ride” feature allows riders to share their trip online with friends and family in real-time for added safety and peace of mind.
       
    • Rider Education and Insurance: Neuron drives the industry forward when it comes to safety. The company recently launched ScootSafe Academy, an industry-first interactive, online riding school developed in consultation with the Australian Road Safety Foundation. It gamifies rider education with city-specific materials on the importance of safety, and also delivers targeted training modules to riders who have broken the rules. Neuron was also the first micormobility operator in Australia to implement third party rider liability insurance for e-scooters, in a move to protect and reassure riders, and the wider community.


    Riders are covered by Neuron Mobility’s third-party rider liability insurance for e‐scooters that protects and reassures riders as well as the wider community.

  • Neuron, in collaboration with Council, will establish dedicated parking spaces for e-scooters at visitor hotspots. Virtual parking locations and their ‘End of Trip’ photo feature will incentivise riders to take and submit a photo of their parked e-scooter after each ride.

    Neuron’s e-scooters are fitted with topple detection, which alerts their 24/7 operations team if an e-scooter has fallen over. The operations team then prioritise and reposition it safely. Members of the public can report a poorly parked e-scooter via Neuron’s app or by phone and email, simply by stating the time and location of the e-scooter or by using the registration plate found on every e-scooter.

  • Neuron is operating the trial of e-scooters in Yeppoon and are responsible for any issues to do with the scooters.
    Neuron staff will:

    • collect e-scooters and park them at stations within the operating zone
    • replace batteries as required
    • perform safety checks
    • sanitise vehicles at all touch points to ensure they are COVID safe.

    Neuron’s 24/7 operations team proactively rebalances over-crowded areas to nearby e-scooter deployment stations.

  • E-scooters are motor vehicles and all users must follow the road rules. Any offences or breaches of these road rules may result in penalties. Find all the information about the Queensland Road rules relevant to electric scooters here.
    Important Riding Rules and Safety Tips:

    • Neuron riders must be 16 years old and above
    • Only one rider allowed per e-scooter, no tandem riding with children
    • Wearing a helmet is mandatory, there is one on every e-scooter
    • Do not ride under the influence of alcohol or any other substance
    • E-scooters can be ridden on footpaths and shared paths at a speed of 12km/h, unless signed otherwise.
    • E-scooters can also be ridden in bike lanes on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or less, all on-road bike lanes that are physically separated and low-speed roads with a speed limit less than 50km/h and no dividing line.
    • E-scooters cannot be ridden in bike lanes on roads over 50km/h.
    • Maintain a safe distance between riders and pedestrians
    • Give way to pedestrians and mobility devices (such as wheelchairs) at all times
    • Park responsibly, don't obstruct access areas, don’t park too close to a junction

    Neuron asks all riders to follow the riding rules, you can visit the Neuron website to find out more.

  • E-scooter issues can be reported directly to Neuron. Messages are monitored 24 hours a day, and the operators will act quickly on your feedback.

    All e-scooters have unique registration plates, they are GPS-connected and every trip is logged which helps to identify anyone behaving irresponsibly. Members of the public can report any issues, including poorly parked e-scooters by contacting Neuron’s Customer Support team, via their app or by phone and email - the below details can also be found on Neuron’s website and on the e-scooters.

    Neuron Customer Support details, Yeppoon:
    Phone: 07 4277 8737
    Email: yeppoonsupport@neuron.sg

    The operators are also required to report all community concerns and messages to Livingstone Shire Council monthly.