The State Duma Committee on Transport has proposed a pause in advancing the bill on the registration of personal mobility equipment (SIM) and the creation of a state registry for these devices, a position reported by Kommersant. The committee’s stance reflects a broader sense that the regulatory framework for SIM is still forming and cannot be settled by a single measure at this stage.
First Deputy Chairman of the Transport Committee, Pavel Fedyaev, described the issue as timely yet insufficiently addressed by one legislative act. He noted that in 2023 the government approved a comprehensive road map for regulating SIM, outlining planned amendments across multiple regulations, including the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Traffic Rules. His view is to await the full development of this road map rather than pursue piecemeal changes that could create gaps or contradictions in enforcement and compliance mechanisms.
According to the road map, individuals and legal entities would be required to submit SIM related information to a centralized federal registry, a move aimed at bringing electric scooters and similar devices under formal oversight. The envisioned system would function similarly to the vehicle registration process managed by traffic authorities, with the entry into the registry becoming a state service. The central goal is to strengthen oversight of privately owned SIMs, improve accountability, and facilitate safer operation through standardized administrative procedures.
The Ministry of Transport has expressed support for including specific definitions in traffic rules. Key terms include the person using a SIM for movement, the concept of a pedestrian ahead of a moving SIM, and rules governing overtaking a pedestrian when on a SIM. The intention is to clarify the conditions under which these maneuvers may be performed and to outline the corresponding responsibilities for SIM owners, particularly in the event of accidents. Additional proposed rules would ban SIM use while intoxicated, require sobriety testing when appropriate, and ensure compliance with traffic police stops and checks as part of enforcement.
Earlier reports indicate that authorities in Moscow expect to tighten penalties for electric scooters that operate without proper registration or oversight without waiting for the upcoming season. This signal from the Moscow City Duma highlights a push to curb unsafe operation and to align local practices with the broader federal regulatory roadmap. As the regulatory process unfolds, stakeholders across the transport sector are watching how the road map will translate into concrete changes that affect manufacturers, rental operators, riders, and municipal authorities. What emerges will likely shape the practical landscape for personal mobility devices in the near term while laying groundwork for more uniform standards nationwide.