March 25 strike, Assosharing joins protests: “Opposed to current DDL road safety, sharing in Italy at risk”

In response to the critical issues of the DDL Road Safety and threats to the shared mobility sector, Assosharing, the first association representing sharing mobility operators in Italy, is protesting today against the proposal to introduce mandatory helmets for sharing scooters, a proposal formulated without taking into account the economic and structural difficulties of operators in the sector. A measure that, as it is structured, could cause the loss of thousands of jobs.

A delegation from Assosharing, flanked by hundreds of electric scooters, gathered in front of the Ministry of Transport to again raise operators' concerns about the Road Safety DDL and to call for a constructive dialogue with government institutions. The association's protest joins those of taxi drivers and NCC drivers underway today in Rome, a sign that deep reflection is needed on the mobility system in all its forms.

After already submitting a note to the chair and group leaders of the House of Representatives Transportation Committee in January, therefore, the trade association is back to make its voice heard to avoid a collapse in the sharing sector in Italy, particularly with regard to what concerns the sector of electric scooters.

Andrea Giaretta, vice president of Assosharing and head of the scooter section, explains, "Assosharing has always been in favor of investments in safety, so much so that in recent years all operators have adapted their fleets to the new standards defined by MIT less than two years ago, but the current legislative proposals seriously threaten the sector's operations. If the MIT does not listen to our voice more than 1,500 jobs are at risk, the danger of a collapse of sharing mobility in Italy is real. This DDL is not supported by any data inherent in the sharing sector ".

Assosharing's protests make particular reference to theintroduction of the mandatory helmet on electric scooters, a novelty that does not take into account the operational and economic difficulties of operators. Giaretta adds, " There have been no accident fatalities in the sharing sector in the past two years, thanks to investments in vehicles and the lowering of speed to 20km/h. Nonetheless, we are not against further investment in safety, but first it is necessary to sit down at a table with the Ministry to get our point across: the introduction of helmets would lead to a clear operational problem in the case of sharing, since the vehicles are not equipped with helmet anchoring and protection systems due to their very conformation. Losses of helmets through theft, damage, or carelessness would make the service economically unaffordable ".

In fact, the association estimates a 25 percent increase in costs, in an industry like sharing mobility where operators only break even through a lot of effort. The closure of the

services related to scooters, moreover, would lead to the subsequent closure of those dedicated to bike sharing, as they are not sustainable on their own. Giaretta concludes, " Without taking this into account, 1,500 jobs are at risk. Developing green mobility in the right way is critical for the future of all of us, if we are not listened to all citizens who use micromobility will be penalized beyond measure without making improvements in safety ".