NABSA Member Delegation Goes to Washington
Congress is in the midst of writing the next federal surface transportation bill, and the decisions made in this reauthorization will shape how communities fund bikeshare and scootershare for years to come. North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association (NABSA) members were in Washington, DC meeting with members of Congress and their staff to discuss shared micromobility and share policy recommendations that expand access to existing federal resources and protect the core programs that support bikeshare and scootershare.
The NABSA member delegation included Bike Share Pittsburgh, Bird, Cincinnati Red Bike, Drop Mobility, Lyft Urban Solutions, Revolution, and ROAM Share. Together, they met with more than 25 congressional offices across the ideological spectrum, in both the House and the Senate, including 5 members of congress themselves. They made the case that shared micromobility is a proven transportation solution that helps people get to jobs, boosts local business revenue, and offers communities a sustainable, low-cost transportation option.
Delegation members asked lawmakers to:
- Incorporate shared micromobility into critical existing federal surface transportation programs as an explicit eligible use, including the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program, BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) grants, and the Carbon Reduction Program
- Designate shared micromobility as an “associated transit improvement” by amending Section 5302 of Title 49 in federal transit law
- Build on the success of shared micromobility in the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program by making operational investment eligible
The delegation also discussed H.R. 8719, the Shared Micromobility Investment Act, which would advance these priorities in legislation. Members asked House offices to consider co-sponsoring the bill and asked Senate offices to consider introducing companion legislation. The response was encouraging, with offices on both sides of the aisle expressing support for NABSA’s recommendations.
You can view NABSA’s full set of federal policy recommendations in our priorities one-pager. NABSA members can register for a member-only policy event taking place July 22nd, where we’ll share updates from the meetings and other legislative priorities across the US and Canada. *Members must be logged into their member center account to register. Interested in becoming a NABSA member? Contact us! Interested in becoming a NABSA member? Contact us!