Scooters offer alternative to drunken pick-up

Weekends are a time for students to relax, catch up on school work and go out with friends. Often, when going out at night, someone has to play the role of designated driver. Another option is to drive to the location, leave the car there overnight, risk having it towed, ticked or damaged, and take a taxi home.\nCityScoot is a service that could eliminate these hassles for students. The company, based out of Louisville, Ky., offers an alternative to taxis, said CityScoot General Manager James Powers. \nAlthough the service is not yet available locally, co-owner Mark Roberts hopes to be able to expand to Bloomington and other cities in the near future. He said he believes CityScoot is applicable wherever there is alcohol.\nPowers explained the multi-step process that goes into CityScoot's services.\nWhen students or local residents are ready for a ride home after they've been drinking, they can call and a dispatcher will quote a price from the location to the final destination. Next, CityScoot sends a driver out on a scooter for customer and car pick-up.\n"Once the driver arrives, he folds the scooter up and puts it into a bag that he carries on (his) back," Powers said. "Then the driver drives you and your car home safely. After taking you home, he gets his scooter out of the trunk and drives away."\nProfessional drivers for CityScoot are insured for up to $60,000 for car damages, Powers said. \nRoberts said he encourages support from the Bloomington community to make the expansion of CityScoot easier and faster.\n"We have put a lot of thought in starting our service in college towns," Roberts said. "Our concern in college towns, though, is do people drive to the bars? If there is a demand in Bloomington and people there to support the business, then we will be there."\nSophomore Mike Safir said he believes bringing CityScoot to IU and Bloomington would not only benefit students, but be very popular.\n"I think it would cut down on the number of drunk drivers, drunk walkers, reduce tickets, accidents, injuries and possibly deaths," Safir said. "Plus we could drive to parties, which would extend our partying area beyond places we could walk to."\nThe process to start the company began last February, but CityScoot did not begin its service until early September, Powers said.\nThere is a very similar service in London, which is where the idea for CityScoot originated, he said. The Di Blasi scooters that CityScoot uses are made in Italy and cost $2,000.\nThe scooters are lightweight, rugged and fold up to fit in a bag 29 inches long, 23 inches high and 12 inches wide, according to the CityScoot Web site. \n"We got the idea from a service in London," Powers said. "My sister was in London visiting my aunt, and while she was there, she used the service."\nWhile the rates for CityScoot can be more expensive then a taxi ($10 pick-up fee and $2 per mile), Powers said what makes the extra money worth it is that a car doesn't get left somewhere overnight.\n"Obviously one of the main differences is you get your vehicle home, which is the most important thing," Powers said. "People like to have their car, so the benefit is you get your car and have a good time. We have a quicker response time then a lot of taxi services, as well. We normally reach the location within 10 minutes."\nSenior Elisabeth Fleps said she believes students could save money because they wouldn't have to take a taxi to and from their destination. Instead, they could just drive a car to the location and then have someone from CityScoot pick them up.\n"It would make it easier for people to drive their cars places when they are going out," Fleps said. "That way they don't have to pay for a cab service both ways. It would also save your car from being towed, damaged or ticketed if you left it downtown."\nPowers said what will be most helpful in getting CityScoot to Bloomington is community support. He said he believes there is a need for this service in every city, especially in college towns.\n"Bloomington is a college town that has a lot of college kids," Powers said. "College kids tend to drink from time to time. Statistics show kids on college campuses are drinking, and sometimes irresponsibly, so this gives people another option."\nFor more information on CityScoot, visit www.cityscoot.com or contact them at (502)56-NO-DUI.\n-- Contact staff writer Maggie Bozich at mbozich@indiana.edu.