Findings

Velotric compared the sanitation levels of frequently touched commuting surfaces — including shared bikes, scooters, trains, buses, and personal vehicles — by performing controlled surface swabs and lab testing.

Key Takeaways

• 🚲 A public electric scooter can have 58,000× more bacteria than a toilet seat. Velotric

• 🚴‍♂️ A public electric bike can have 12,000× more bacteria than a toilet seat. Velotric

• 🛴 Public e-scooters and e-bikes had 700× – 800× more bacteria than personal equivalents. 

• 🚆 Buses and trains also showed surprisingly high microbial counts. 

Public Transit vs. Personal Transport

Shared transportation systems — like bikes, scooters, buses, and trains — aren’t usually cleaned between every use, and they’re exposed to weather and countless hands throughout the day. This makes them breeding grounds for microbes. 

By contrast, personal bikes and scooters — ones you own, maintain, and clean regularly — typically show far fewer germs, helping reduce your daily exposure. Velotric

What This Means for Your Health

Even when microbes aren’t instantly harmful, frequent contact increases the chance of picking up something you’d rather avoid. Since commuting is a daily routine for most people, small exposures add up over time.

Tips to Stay Safer on Your Commute:

• 🚿 Wash or sanitize your hands after your commute.

• 🧼 Keep your personal commuting gear clean and disinfected.

• 🚲 Consider owning your own bike or scooter instead of relying on shared units — personal transport surfaces are usually much cleaner.

Ride Cleaner, Commute Smarter

Your daily commute shouldn’t just be efficient — it should also be healthy. Whether it’s reducing germs, cutting stress, or gaining independence from crowded transit systems, choosing personal transportation can make a real difference in your daily well-being.

Ready for a Cleaner Way to Commute?

Try RideSkin.