Local entrepreneurs are the first to offer electric scooter rental in the Springfield area. by Samuel Knox
A new City Council ruling paves the way for local entrepreneurs Marquez Williams and his brother and business partner Trayvon Northern to expand their scooter fleet. EWay LLC is one of the first electric scooter rental companies in Springfield to offer micro-mobility services. Their younger brother, Laquion Williams, a junior at Parkview High School also works in the business providing how-to and safety instructions to each scooter renter.
On June 13, 2022, Springfield City Council approved new rules for electric scooter rentals. The proposed council bill implements micro-mobility device rules that create an outline to prevent electric scooters from being “a nuisance or poses a threat to public safety or security.”
The business owners are both from the Quad City area. The Quad Cities is a region of cities in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois. They moved to Springfield in 2014. Williams said he first experienced the electric scooter in Tulsa, OK, and had a great time! He came back to Springfield and went to work researching what it would take to bring that type of experience to the Ozarks.
The two brothers started Eway, LLC in September 2021 making an agreement with the Bolt Scooter brand. The company owners have been in talks with the city Traffic Engineer to make sure they are in compliance with local ordinances and safety measures. Williams said the company started with five scooters but should soon have available a fleet of over one hundred.
For those interested in taking a ride on the electric scooters, go to their website: ewayscooters.com. There you will find instructions on how to register to take a ride. The cost is one dollar to unlock and forty cents per minute. ($25 per hour) According to the the company website, the scooters are used for recreational use, public tours, romantic dates, and school visitations. The business is open during daylight hours.
By being local and first to market in the area, they hope to have a niche carved out before other competing companies come to town.
Starting July 1, the Eway Scooter Company will have an office at the Robert Plaster Free Enterprise Center (EFactory) 405 N Jefferson Ave.
