Earlier this month, we joined a group of 20 organizations in sending a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo calling on him to sign into law a bill that authorizes local governments to allow electric bikes and scooters on their streets. The State Senate and Assembly both passed the bill (S5294A/ A7431 by Senator Jessica Ramos and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic) in June.
The group included other environmental groups, transportation advocates, and business groups. View the full letter here.
E-bikes and e-scooters are low-emission forms of transportation that can help combat climate change. They are safer than cars, emit no greenhouse gases, and are small and easily storable, making them ideal modes of eco-friendly transportation for urban areas. They can displace car trips, which is not only good for the environment but also makes the road less congested.
They can also help New Yorkers who may not live within walking distance from public transportation, bridging divides in underserved neighborhoods by connecting people to the nearest train, bus, or ferry stop.
E-bikes are already used by thousands of New Yorkers, many of whom are immigrant delivery workers who rely on the speed and cost-efficiency of e-bikes to make enough deliveries each day. Yet because the legal status of e-bikes is in doubt, these bikes are often confiscated by police and their riders ticketed, disrupting livelihoods and exposing people who have done nothing wrong to the criminal justice system.
Electric micromobility makes moving away from cars easy for anyone regardless of age, ability, or health.
With the recent adoption of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is required to reduce emissions in every sector of the economy. E-bikes and e-scooters would help New York address its #1 contributor to climate change – transportation.