Oggy Scooters raises concerns over Sunshine Coast Council e-scooter trial

The director of a local e-scooter company has revealed why she wouldn’t apply to work with the Sunshine Coast Council on their newest trial. Read why here.

Oggy E-Scooters has been operating on the Sunshine Coast since 2021.

A local e-scooter company has revealed why it didn’t apply to work with the Sunshine Coast Council on an 18-month trial e-scooter.

Neuron Mobility announced Wednesday May 17 it had been chosen as a part of a 18-month trial with the Sunshine Coast to provide e-scooters and e-bikes in Maroochydore and Mooloolaba from June 2023.

Sunshine Coast company Oggy E-Scooters has over 20 parking hubs from Pelican Waters to Noosa and launched in 2021.

Director Kate Ogg said the company currently works within private land and reviewed the Expression of Interest (EOI) call-out put out by council about the trial.

“We mentioned that the conditions under which we’d have to operate did not align with our business model or our values,” she said.

Neuron Mobility regional manager Tim Morris said the company, which already operates in 16 cities around Australia, was delighted to have been chosen by council.

“E-scooters and e-bikes are really well suited to Maroochydore and Mooloolaba and they will be a great way for locals as well as tourists to travel in a safe, convenient and environmentally-friendly way,” he said.

Kate Ogg and her husband David Ogg.

Oggy E-Scooters currently charges an initial $1 flagfall fee and 30 cents to start the ride, and charges 30 cents for every minute.

Mrs Ogg said, in the EOI, council requested to collect user demographics and data every 30 days and feared there would be a risk that scooters would be dumped on public land.

“Having to enter into a commercial fee agreement with council would significantly reduce our revenue while the requirements on supplying information on rides would significantly increase our workload,” she said.

“It also really increases the risk of vandalism and theft having scooters left out in public like that, especially at night time.

“It’s just a lose, lose.”

Neuron Mobility has been chosen by Sunshine Coast Council to run an 18-month trial.

Mrs Ogg said their current business model was working with locals.

“We want to keep paying other small local businesses commission, not start paying council money,” she said.

Mrs Ogg said she hoped Neuron would implement rider ID checking.

“It’s a huge cost to your business but it’s something that we’ve done,” she said.

Oggy E-Scooters currently has an age minimum of 21 and does not run the e-scooters after dark.

Mrs Oggy said her company “could have had a wonderful relationship (with Sunshine Coast Council), if they didn’t want us to pay them so much money”.

Neuron Mobility currently operates in over a dozen cities in Australia. Picture: Supplied

A Neuron Mobility spokeswoman said riders are given a comprehensive list of rules to ensure rider safety.

“These highlight that they need to be over 16 and also provide guidance on where and how to park and how to ride responsibly,” she said.

“All this information appears regularly in the app, plus there’s voice guidance to remind people.”

The spokeswoman said riders who break the rules would be suspended or banned from the service.

“If riders are found to be underage the corresponding accounts will be terminated immediately,” she said.

She said riders would be required to submit an end of trip photo of their e-scooter after each ride.

A Sunshine Coast Council spokeswoman said they were unable to comment on who responded to the Expression of Interest or any details of the fee arrangement as it was commercial-in-confidence.

“Although council encouraged Sunshine Coast businesses to make a submission, none did,” she said.

“The agreed arrangement forms part of the approval conditions issued to Neuron to operate their business on council-controlled land.”