Meet Your New Ride: Lime Launches in Bellevue

Lime - a leading provider of shared micromobility globally - will be launching 500 devices starting Monday, August 10, in partnership with the City of Bellevue. The initial deployment will consist of 350 e-scooters, 100 gliders, and 50 e-bikes, with room to grow to 1,000 depending on ridership uptick. Approximately 100 parking corrals have been placed across the city for users to voluntarily park their devices.

The new service is expected to expand quick, flexible travel options for first- and last-mile trips, transit connections, and everyday errands. Later this fall, riders will also be able to receive ride discounts if your trip ends near a light rail station or transit center.

WHY BELLEVUE?
The expansion to Bellevue began in 2018 when Lime ran a one-year pilot program across the city but was delayed due to pandemic-related halts and legislative work needed to allow scooters. The City code was eventually revised in 2025 to update regulations for the use of motorized foot-scooters in the right-of-way and create the opportunity for a potential shared micromobility vendor to operate both e-bikes and e-scooters.

Parker Dawson, Lime’s Senior Manager for Government Relations, stated this launch was only made possible due to years of close engagement with Bellevue stakeholders, city staff and elected officials.

"We've been excited to offer this service in Bellevue for years," Dawson said, citing the city's thriving economic scene, growing neighborhoods, Downtown’s commercial core and year-round cultural draws as reasons for choosing Bellevue. "We're get to finally deliver on that."

Bellevue’s interest in Lime has only continued to grow since the pilot program. According to Lime, they have seen more app opens per day in 2025 than any previous year. The company has recorded 83 app opens per day in 2025, an 8% increase from 2024, and a 73% increase from 2023.

Lime has also seen a rise in ridership across the region.

In 2025 alone, they saw 10.3 million trips - a volume that would rank Lime as the state's 4th largest transit agency if compared directly to other regional transit providers. 

“We’re proud to bring some of Lime’s best vehicles and offerings to Bellevue, including LimeBike, Lime Glider and Lime Prime,” Dawson said. “We’re grateful to the city leaders, staff and community partners who helped make this launch possible, and we’re excited to give residents and visitors more convenient, flexible ways to connect with transit, local businesses and the neighborhoods they call home.”

ACCESSIBILITY AND SAFETY
Safety is key to Lime's success in its operations across 230+ cities on five continents. Their Puget Sound out-of-warehouse operation has grown to over 200 people whose sole purpose is to provide support such as collecting and redeploying devices, performing regular and preventative maintenance checks, changing batteries, and prioritizing rider safety. All devices are equipped with GPS tracking and onboard cameras, and they're speed-capped at 15 mph – five miles below what state law requires for e-bikes. 

In 2025, more than 99.99% of rides ended without incident globally. 

"We prioritize safety in all the work that we do," Dawson said. "From our vehicles, which we design in-house to be sturdy and durable, built for shared use and capable of withstanding high daily ridership across urban environments; to our efforts to give away free helmets and educate our riders; we are excited to keep working with communities to promote safer streets.”

Lime now operates in nearly a dozen Puget Sound municipalities. In recent years, they have launched multiple rider programs that provide more communities with access to Lime. This includes:

• Lime Access: Affordability program that breaks down barriers and provides discounted riders to individuals on SNAP, Medicaid and more. 
• Lime Prime: A $5.99 monthly subscription, waiving all unlock fees and discounted rides.

WHAT'S NEXT
To celebrate the launch, the City of Bellevue and Lime will host a community event on Friday, August 21, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM at the Amazon Meadow, handing out resources, answering questions, and giving away free helmets. 

“We are incredibly thankful for the diligent work of Bellevue local leaders for being positive and collaborative partners,” Dawson said. “Our goal isn’t to make it harder to drive your car. We’re here to make it easier for you to choose to take another mode of transportation, especially for those short trips within your neighborhood.” Dawson said.

For more information about Lime, you can go directly to their website at: https://www.li.me/