ORLANDO, Fla. — In downtown Orlando, Nathan Skogen is all about the bike-sharing opportunities.

  • Newly proposed ordinance would allow dockless bike-sharing
  • This would mean riders can leave their bikes where they are
  • If passed, ordinance will go into effect immediately

"Well my wife and I decided to ride the bikes around downtown, (because) we thought it would be a fun thing to do, because we don't actually own our own bikes,” said Skogen.

Currently in Orlando, there is only one bike sharing company that is permitted -- it is called Juice, and their bikes are bright orange.

The way to rent one is simple: First people need to download the bike sharing app, then you can pay by the hour or through a membership to ride a bike throughout the city.

Under the current law, once a person is done riding the bikes, they must be locked back up at a docking station. But a newly proposed ordinance could change the law, allowing bikes to be dockless -- meaning once a person is done riding, they can just leave the bike where they are without having to lock it up.

“The bikes self-lock, so it kind of provides that last mile of service,” said F.J. Flynn, Deputy Transportation Director.

Flynn said there are some restrictions on where a person can park their bikes. For example, the bikes can’t be parked in a roadway or in a handicapped spot. Each bike is tracked with GPS, so the company can redistribute the bikes if there is any pile up.

Plus, if the ordinance passes, it is expected to attract more bike companies to apply for permits.

“We anticipate probably more than one entering the market, I know there is one that is at UCF currently, so we anticipate that at some point they will migrate to the city as well,” said Flynn.

This is something Skogen is all about, telling Spectrum News he welcomes more bike sharing companies to come to Orlando.

"If they did, we would probably do it more often,” said Skogen.

The second reading will be Oct. 8. If passed, the new ordinance will go into effect immediately.

The ordinance will also take away a lot of the restrictions on skateboarding in the city as well.