7A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1. A memorandum restricting dockless scooters has been passed. Now in Gainesville, a maximum of three companies are allowed to operate in the city, between the hours of 6 am-10 pm, and UF can terminate at any time. This suggests that while there is large competition between dockless companies, and many restrictions combatting them, the same is not true for scooters that are docked. The most likely customer with the opportunity are college students who require mobility around campus. The opportunity is also relatively easy to exploit, as there is an obvious demand and no companies that are going the docked route.

I formed this belief as I am a college student, and have experience with what the article and opportunity describe. Dockless scooters are popular, but are also left at random places. The information then made me choose the solution to the student’s and city’s inconvenience.

2. The who: University Stuents

The what: Many depend on public transportation or walking

The why: Parking is limited, and they don’t want to invest in a scooter, decals, or garage fees

3. Interview 1:

She has a car, and a scooter, as well as a garage in her apartment. However, she does not use her car to go to campus, and opts to ride the bus for 15 minutes. This is because the parking garage is farther away from her class than the bus stop, and she would have to allocate extra time to find a space, park, and walk to class- rather than taking public transportation. As she has a job, she rides the bus back or walks and uses her car after class. She reports it as inconvenient to have to make several trips, but her bus route stops before her shift ends and she does not want to walk at the later time. The bus is also out of service during the weekends, so she uses her car for any errands that are needed. This is an inconvenience to her, as she finds it quicker to take public transportation or walk at times instead of finding street parking.

Interview 2:

She also has a car, a garage in her apartment, as well a scooter. She bought the scooter knowing that she would resell it after she graduates, and that justified the investment for her. She uses the scooter during the week, and her car on the weekends. For her, the scooter is faster than her car- as she is able to find parking closer and quicker for scooters than cars. Yet, scooter parking is still congested, tight, and hard to find. She does not walk, though, as it would take an additional 20 minutes before class to reach campus. As such, she continues to pay insurance for both her vehicles, as well as decals and garage fees for both. At times, however, she parks in the hospital garage when attending her clinicals- allowing her to find parking for a few days of the week.

Interview 3:

She does not have a car or scooter. She walks to class, or gets the bus when it passes by her apartment at a time that is not too early or after her class. She schedules extra time prior to her class in order to walk or leave enough time to catch the bus. For her, this is a daily inconvenience as she is unsure at what time she will be on campus, and is worried she will miss the bus and be late after walking. She cannot afford the purchase and insurance on a vehicle, and does not have a garage to store it in. As such, she continues to depend and schedule around how long the bus or a walk would take.

Interview 4:

He has a car, but no garage, and no scooter. He walks to class everyday, despite it being upwards of 15 minutes. However, as he has street parking, he does not want to risk losing his parking space near his apartment and later being unable to find any on campus. He uses his car after class to places not on campus to avoid campus parking. After being fined, both when he was correct in parking or incorrect and in a hurry, he no longer attempts to park at UF. He also does not use the bus as he is unsure as to what route to take, or what time to leave, so finds it easier to walk.

Interview 5:

She has a car and a garage, and uses her car to drive to campus daily. She relies on her car throughout the entire week, not using public transportation. Her schedule includes classes at 6 or 7 am, and therefore she does not find it difficult to find parking spaces that early in the morning. As such, she continues to drive to class and back home. Yet, she complains about the fees involved with parking on campus, and while the car is easier than waiting for the bus and quicker than walking, she finds the option expensive. Maintaining her car and paying insurance is also a worry for her, as it affects her budget.

After the interviews, I was surprised to learn that even those with scooters, cars, or both still depend on walking or public transportation. A vehicle does not solve transportation, as the parking remains the issue.

Many in my current “who” share this need, as it is a large problem across campus that there are not enough parking spaces for cars and students with vehicles can’t find parking. Even those with cars at times walk and take the bus, as walking from the garage to class would take longer than walking from the apartment or taking the bus. Others who depend on public transportation also share the need for alternative transportation, as the bus may run at a time that does not fit their schedule. That is, the bus may stop too early or too late for their class. They may also miss it. The boundaries of the need are that the limited space and difficulty in walking further away from class still applies to scooters. Docking a scooter after renting it must be close enough to campus to encourage students to use it, while not falling prey to the same limited space problem.