Highland Park cracking down on rideshare companies with new ordinance

The town of Highland Park is making a new rule in an effort to get a handle on all the colorful bikes that have been dropped off around town.

The rideshare bikes began popping up around Dallas last year. They’re also dockless, meaning you can pick them up, pay for them through your phone, and leave them anywhere when you're finished.

You are unlikely to see bikes like these in Highland Park. That's because town staff has been collecting the rideshare bikes and holding them in the town's service center, in an attempt to get them off streets and sidewalks.

The town passed an ordinance last month, that won't allow them to be in Highland Park overnight at all. It goes into effect Monday.

The new rule means bikes left out overnight will be impounded. The bike companies can get them back for $30 for the first bike. It will cost $100 for the fourth bike and any after that. Highland Park will auction off any bikes it has for longer than 15 days.

The town staff says hoards of bikes have been left abandoned on private property, have cluttered streets and sidewalks, and shown up in bulk in parks. Highland Park says it took those concerns to at least four of the five bike companies in Dallas, asking them to collect and move the bikes daily before voting on the ordinance.

Many people feel the same as Martina Crasto, who says the bikes can be annoying but also useful.

"I can see where they're coming from. I don't think they should get rid of them or eliminate them, but I think that having a designated area maybe for them to be dropped off would be a good idea."