Baltimore has issued a new round of e-bike and e-scooter permits to two companies, Spin and Lime, Mayor Brandon Scott and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation said Thursday.

“This newest round of dockless vehicle permits will help to close first-and-last mile gaps to transit for Baltimoreans,” Corren Johnson, director of the city’s transportation department, said in a news release.

After annual revisions to the rules and regulations and a 30-day public comment period, the micromobility permits were awarded as the fifth round since the city’s e-scooter and e-bike program fully launched in 2019.

San Francisco’s Spin already held a permit that was renewed based on community ratings and compliance with city regulations, according to the release. An application process led to Lime’s permit, in what Scott called “an important step for a greener and more accessible Baltimore.”

Lime will offer 500 new e-bikes for the city, along with adaptive vehicles for riders with disabilities. The company’s e-scooters, e-bikes and seated e-scooters can be found in green branding. Spin’s e-scooters and e-bikes are orange.

From 2017 to mid-2022, Lime supplied e-scooters to the city. To strengthen its application this time around, Lime said earlier this year that it improved hardware and included seated scooters, as well as high-visibility reflectors.

After outlining how Lime could improve if given the chance to return to Baltimore during the selection process, the San Francisco-based company said it’s excited about the opportunity, according to a news release. Lime said that over 414,000 riders took roughly 2.8 million trips during its five-year time frame in the city.

“Lime is ready to hit the ground from day one with a focus on safe riding, proper parking, and building relationships with the Baltimore community in order to ensure the best possible experience for riders and non-riders alike,” the release reads.

Representatives from the transportation department and the Baltimore City Department of Planning scored how the applicants met the city’s needs for a “sustainable, safe, and equitable transportation option,” according to the city’s release.

“We are committed to providing equitable and accessible transportation options for the residents of Baltimore, and shared mobility has become just one of the integral parts of our broader transportation system,” Scott said in the release.

Those with a smartphone can locate, rent and park dockless e-scooters and e-bikes through an app, or riders can use the text-to-unlock plan. Parking in painted corrals installed by the transportation department around the city is encouraged, and riders who do so will receive discounted trips.

According to the city’s release, more than 1.3 million dockless trips were taken last year, and about 110,000 trips were taken in May 2024 alone.

The companies must follow the updated program regulations under the permits, which became active Monday.