Media Contact: José Sirven
Email: jose@fluentstrategies.com
Phone: (786)273-8343

The perfect should not be the enemy of good, but this project poses too many questions about our county’s security that are unnecessary when more efficient options are available and there has been no public input.

Not to mention, this ramming through of a half-billion dollar project without public input or clear details before an election raises doubts about the integrity of the agreement–similar to those that led to a mayoral recall.

The project would also require 3-4 transfers when a metromover option could be more efficient, since we already have the infrastructure (manufacturing plant, car stock, and experience, etc.). It also isn’t clear who would operate & maintain it, and if the fare structure would be designed for working families who commute to work on the beach.

Earlier this year, at a Senate hearing, both Senate Democrats and Republicans expressed concerns about the Chinese contractor involved in the project, BYD. Experts have warned that the railcars and buses are vulnerable to hacking and could be controlled remotely.

Senator Sherod Brown (OH-D) said,

“CRRC [a Chinese rail car manufacturer] and BYD are two in a long line of examples of how China cheats its way ... into being a global leader into industry after industry.” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said, “The potential for an adversarial state actor to monitor the movements of American citizens, hack personal or government-issued devices, and collect intelligence on our military is a major security concern.”

See: Senators urge Americans to 'wake up' to security threats of Chinese-made metros, buses

It’s no secret that Miami-Dade residents have little trust in our government–Marlins park, half-penny, etc. However, this is the first time that our County is also potentially putting us at a legitimate security risk.

The Miami Riders Alliance and our members ask that the CITT and the County defer this initial proposal and work with community partners to address the legitimate national security concerns and develop the most efficient option in a transparent and public manner.

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