AZE.US
Electric scooters were supposed to make short trips across Baku easier. Instead, many users say the service is becoming expensive, unreliable and increasingly unsafe.
Residents who regularly use scooters complain that prices have risen sharply. According to users interviewed by local media, some rides now cost 16-23 gapiks per minute, meaning a longer trip can end up close to the price of a taxi.
The problems do not end with the fare. Users also report weak speed, faulty brakes, drained batteries and technical issues that sometimes leave them unable to complete a ride. Some say they have fallen or found themselves in dangerous situations because the scooter did not respond properly.
Infrastructure remains another major complaint. In many parts of Baku, there are no dedicated lanes for scooters or bicycles. Where lanes do exist, users often describe them as incomplete, inconvenient or poorly connected.
As a result, scooter riders say they are caught between cars and confusion. If they ride along the edge of the road, drivers squeeze them. If they move closer to the center of the lane, cars honk and pressure them to get out of the way.
Transport expert Yasin Mustafayev said micromobility is developing in Baku, but serious problems remain. He noted that users often struggle to find parking spaces, while scooters may run out of charge or break down. The lack of a complete and safe lane network also continues to limit the system’s usefulness.
Scooter operators, responding to local media inquiries, said prices are mainly set by the companies themselves. They also said the number of parking areas is being increased gradually as user demand grows.
The Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency said there are currently 1,000 parking spaces for scooters and 623 for bicycles in Baku.
The agency added that micromobility lanes are being designed based on international practice, with the main goal of ensuring continuity. If there is no bicycle lane in the direction of travel or if the lane ends, users should continue along the right side of the road while following traffic signs and signals.
For now, however, the larger problem is clear: Baku has embraced scooters faster than it has built the streets needed to use them safely.
AZE.US