Scooters Set For Use In Madison

MADISON, NJ - Getting to the train station in Madison just got more interesting as Boxcar Scooters have arrived in town.

Residents who live within 2.5 miles of a train station can borrow an electric scooter take to and from the train station. They'll store the scooter during the day, and commuters can pick it up at the end of the day to ride home. It will not cost taxpayers or selected commuters, the company says.

Although the plan is to park the scooters between uses, the program could eventually see the scooters used during the day.

"If this trial is successful," Madison Mayor Bob Conley said. "We anticipate that instead of sitting idle during the day these electric scooters may eventually be used by non-commuters or, in the case of places like Madison, employees who work in Giralda Farms and other nearby office sites."

Boxcar currently offers a parking app that lets commuters reserve parking spots in advance, and runs bus service in and out of Manhattan during the rush hours. CEO Joe Colangelo says the company is interested in any tactic that could make commutes less stressful.

"Boxcar has solved the first-mile problem in many suburban communities with our parking app, which lets commuters reserve parking spots in traditionally non-commercial lots, like churches, near train stations," Colangelo said. "Our goal isn't to turn suburban downtowns into parking lots, though. We'll pursue any solution that helps make it easier for commuters to get to the train station and help them access public transportation and reduce traffic on the roads."

Interested? You can apply for the pilot program here.

(Photo courtesy of Madison)

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