Auckland Council has granted a licence for a new e-scooter operator, Ario, to operate a rental micromobility business in Auckland.
Joining current licensed providers Lime and Beam, Ario has been granted a Tier 3 licence by the council. This licence will allow Ario to operate in the outer suburbs only, with an allocation of 150 e-scooters. Ario intends to launch initially in and around New Lynn.
Auckland Council’s Manager Licensing and Environmental Health, Mervyn Chetty, says the new licence will increase mobility options in different parts of Tāmaki Makaurau.
“Ario’s presence will offer an additional option for Aucklanders moving around New Lynn and surrounding suburbs and help to improve access to public transport hubs in the area,” he says.
Map showing where Ario scooters will operate initially.
The three-wheeled scooters can be controlled remotely by Ario’s operations team, helping to reduce footpath clutter by allowing them to be re-parked away from disruptive or inaccessible locations.
As with other rental operators, the council will also monitor Ario scooters for the duration of the licence to ensure they are compliant with the Rental Micromobility Code of Practice and other relevant bylaws.
The new license has been granted until 3 November when all current e-scooter licences will expire. Auckland Council will be accepting applications for rental micromobility licences in July 2024.
Visit the council’s micromobility web page to find out more about rental micromobility in Auckland and applying for a licence.
