Subject: Statement on the County Ban on Scooters and Bikeshare

Miami-Dade County leaders need our support now more than ever amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Measures such as closing public spaces and remote working have been understandably taken to control the virus.

However, many still need to go to the store and their place of work. Vital transportation options are declining, including the public transit system, which has reduced service due to lower ridership; that’s why we were concerned when the County decided to ban the use of rented scooters and other mobility options like Bikeshare services (CitiBike, etc.). Cutting these services risks shortages of workers who have few options and is completely antithetical to stabilizing our local economy.

The companies that run these services have also implemented sanitization efforts that sanitize their vehicles at a higher rate than the once-a-day scrub-down of county transit vehicles. These efforts will curb COVID-19 transmission via their vehicles.

At the Miami Riders Alliance, our organization is fighting to make transit better, and as Executive Director, I strongly encourage the County to lift the ban on rentable mobility options including scooters and bikeshare so that those whose who need it have it available.

Thank you,

The Miami Riders Alliance

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