Students Share Their Experiences with Bublr Bikes and Lime Scooters

Alternative transportation is something that has seen a lot of growth in cities like Milwaukee over the last several years. Bublr Bikes, a nonprofit local to Milwaukee, recently doubled its fleet in May 2025 to over 200 dedicated bike stations in the city, according to a Bublr Bikes press release.

Along with the expansion of the Bublr Bikes network, Milwaukee has also invested in dockless scooters such as Lime. While these self-serve transportation options grow, concerns about their pricing, transparency and safety have also grown.

College students always seem to be at the forefront of alternative modes of transportation, and the students on the campus of UW-Milwaukee are no exception. From getting to class to meeting up with friends, Bublr Bikes and Lime scooters have emerged as the favorites for people in the UWM and greater Milwaukee community due to their convenience.

“I like them a lot,” said Bailey Arndt, a recent UWM graduate. “I’m glad that Milwaukee has that option, like other cities of its size or bigger.”

Bublr Bikes

Bublr Bikes, which was founded and is based in Milwaukee, launched in 2014 and has been steadily growing ever since. The nonprofit credits $4.15 million from a federal grant and the City of Milwaukee for its ability to expand its network. The goal of the expansion is to increase accessibility, according to Bublr Bikes.

This accessibility is a big plus for Nick Murawski, a senior computer science student at UWM.

“I use the Bublr Bikes to get to class, mainly because they have stations next to the university facilities,” Murawski said.

Another plus for UWM students is the student discount that Bublr Bikes offers. An annual student membership for the bikes costs only $8.

“It paid for itself in only like four rides or something,” said Arndt. “I think the Bublr Bikes are priced very reasonably.”

Transparency is Key

Though some students appreciate the discount, others have had trouble with a lack of transparency on the part of Bublr Bikes and their membership contracts.

Bublr Bikes assessed Shannon Knowski, a senior JAMS major, with a $50 charge when she took a Bublr bike to work. She says that when she spoke to Bublr support, they told her that there is a late fee built into the contract.

Knowski expressed her frustration over the Bublr student contract only being available through a QR code on a smartphone, which she says makes it difficult to read.

“I understand that we are adults, so it is our responsibility to read through these documents,” Knowski said. “But when you make it inaccessible and hide it to trick people who are coming into adulthood into fees that they can’t even really afford, that’s just really bad business practice in my opinion.”

Lime Scooters

Contrary to the locality of Bublr Bikes, Lime scooters are an international brand. Lime came to Milwaukee permanently in 2024, with pilot programs dating back to 2019.

Lime is part of the city’s dockless scooter program, which reported 971,980 trips in 2024, its first full year of service, according to Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works. The program includes both Lime and Spin, though the Lime scooters are much more prevalent around the UWM campus.

Milwaukee is one of over 200 cities with Lime scooters, and the company is growing rapidly. In Oct. 2025, Lime broke 1 billion rides worldwide, according to their blog.

Many students acknowledge that the Lime scooters are a more expensive option than something like the Bublr Bikes.

“I feel like the Lime scooters are more fun than practical,” said Arndt. “So I think it’s totally fair. I think they’re priced accordingly.”

The trade-off in price seems to be the dockless nature of the scooters, which means that they can be parked anywhere, eliminating the need to find a dedicated station.

“If I need to go to a friend’s house or I need to get groceries and there’s not a bike station, then I generally use a Lime scooter,” said Murawski. “The parking is less restrictive than the Bublr Bikes.”

Safety is a Concern

Safety has been the largest concern when bringing these alternative transportation modes to the Milwaukee community, as the onus of safety is largely on the shoulders of the riders.

“They’re about as safe as the person riding them,” said Arndt. “I see a lot of people who aren’t always super aware of either the rules of the road or just aren’t aware of either cars or pedestrians.”

A MATC student, who preferred to remain anonymous, is a good example of this. She suffered a severe concussion after falling off a scooter while intoxicated. She asked to remain anonymous so she wouldn’t get in trouble for breaking the rules of the scooters. 

“The night of, I had been drinking,” the woman said. “I took a Lime scooter to get home so that I wouldn’t be driving a vehicle, but I guess Lime Scooters are a motorized vehicle.”

The Lime app encourages riders to wear a helmet and alerts users to the dangers of operating the scooters while under the influence, but it can’t really do anything to enforce those rules.

“When you open the app at night, it tells you not to drink and ride,” the woman said. “If I were to recommend anything, it would be to actually listen.”