A Statement About E-Bikes in Providence
On Evaluating the Return of E-share Services to Providence
The story in yesterday's Providence Journal regarding the history of JUMP Bikes in Providence was alarming.
In July of 2019, after the e-bike and e-scooter programs littered our sidewalks and waterways and were used in the commission of crime in our neighborhoods, I introduced a resolution to fully evaluate the program's operation. The resolution, which was passed by the Council, required that the administration provide a comprehensive findings report of the e-bike and e-scooter pilot programs in the City within 30 days of passage. We have still not received the report.
While I support environmentally-friendly and equitably-accessible modes of transportation, I did not support the administration’s insistence on expanding the program without a thorough analysis of the program and absent any effort to mitigate the nuisances these bikes presented to our neighbors.