Moovit Now Includes Lime Scooters, Bikes & Mopeds

Lime Integrates Micromobility Options into Moovit Trip Planning App

Lime, a leading shared electric micromobility provider, has established a partnership to incorporate its scooters, bikes, and mopeds directly into the Moovit trip planning application.

Beginning August 2nd, Lime’s vehicles will be presented as a transportation choice alongside public transit options for either complete or partial multimodal journeys within the Moovit app, which is based in Israel.

Expanded Availability Across Multiple Continents

Lime vehicles will be visible within Moovit in 117 cities spanning 20 countries and continents, encompassing regions such as the United States, South America, Australia, and Europe.

The company asserts that this collaboration represents the most extensive micromobility integration within a mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) application, based on the number of cities included.

Plans are in place to extend this integration to an additional 40 cities in the coming months.

A Growing Trend in Integrated Transportation

This alliance between Lime and Moovit, a subsidiary of Intel’s Mobileye, reflects a broader industry trend towards integrating public transportation, ridesharing services, and micromobility solutions into a unified, optimized system.

Uber, a significant investor in Lime, recently published a whitepaper outlining strategies to facilitate this centralization of mobility options.

Benefits for Transit Agencies and Commuters

Some public transit agencies, such as St. Louis Metro Transit, which have seen a decrease in ridership, are hopeful that directing users to apps offering diverse mobility choices will ultimately revitalize transit usage.

Others view this collaboration as a means to reduce reliance on personal vehicles, providing commuters with seamless options for completing the “last mile” of their journey to and from train stations, all while minimizing carbon emissions.

Statements from Key Leaders

“This partnership demonstrates that mobility companies are recognizing the importance of collaboration to provide riders with more convenient public and shared transportation options as they resume their routines,” stated Nir Erez, co-founder and CEO of Moovit.

“Offering a wider range of alternatives to reach destinations efficiently is a crucial element of a MaaS platform, particularly in heavily congested urban areas.”

Lime’s Strategic Positioning

Lime is strategically positioning itself to secure more permits from cities, capitalizing on a growing acceptance of micromobility and the development of recovery plans prioritizing sustainable transportation.

Tiffani Gibson, senior manager of Lime’s corporate communications, explained to TechCrunch, “Moovit focuses on commute planning and local travel, and integrating micromobility into these journeys will hopefully decrease car usage and encourage a return to public transit.”

“We aim to be seen as a sustainable partner that complements the existing transit ecosystem, providing an additional service that simplifies and promotes connections to transit, especially in underserved areas.”

Increased Transit Usage and Peak Commute Times

According to Moovit’s COVID-19 mobility report, public transit is experiencing a resurgence in major cities like New York, Paris, and London.

This trend is likely a key factor in Lime’s decision to integrate with the platform at this time.

Data from Lime indicates that 41% of its scooter rides occurred during peak commuting hours last month, and historical data reveals a strong correlation between Lime rides and connections to public transit.

Integration with Other MaaS Platforms

Lime’s bikes and scooters, excluding mopeds, are also integrated with Google Maps, a widely downloaded MaaS application, in 89 cities.

On Google Maps, users can select routing options including car, public transit, walking, or biking, with Lime vehicles offered as a transport solution for the entire journey.

In contrast, the integration with Moovit specifically focuses on providing Lime vehicles for first- or last-mile connections to mass transit.

Real-Time Information and Seamless Access

Both Google Maps and Moovit provide users with real-time information on nearby Lime vehicle locations, walking distances, estimated trip costs, and remaining battery levels.

Users are then redirected to the Lime app to unlock and initiate their journey.

Competitive Landscape and Further Integrations

Lime’s bikes and scooters are also integrated into the Uber app in over 100 cities, and all of Lime’s vehicles are integrated into the CityMapper app in 84 markets.

Bird, Lime’s primary competitor, has also pursued integrations, but not specifically with public transit.

The company recently launched a bikeshare platform that allows users to book vehicles from smaller, local bikeshare operators through the Bird app.

Correction

Please note: Lime initially announced a launch in South Africa, but this was corrected to South America. The company also clarified that the launch date would be August 2nd, following an initial statement of “next week.” Additionally, Lime has provided TechCrunch with an updated number of cities integrated with Google Maps.