Covid-19: A message from Urban Sharing’s CEO Marius Olsen

First and foremost, I hope you and your relatives are in good health. Wherever you are, it’s important that we stay strong and united during this challenging time.

In our hometown of Oslo, like so many cities, buses are empty, offices are quiet, and restaurants are dark. Due to the sudden and dramatic spread of Covid-19, the cityscape as we know it has changed, and no one is sure how long this will continue.

The future of many industries is uncertain, but I feel confident that micromobility will pass this unprecedented test. As traditional public transportation is either shut down or deemed unsafe and ride sharing services are suspended, many people are turning to bike and scooter sharing as a safer, individual travel alternative.

Earlier this week we helped our customer UIP launch Oslo City Bike two weeks before their seasonal start to provide travel that supports social distancing. Other cities have also quickly shifted their focus to micromobility infrastructure. In Bogotá, Colombia, 22 kilometers of car lanes were converted into bike lanes overnight to prevent overcrowding on public transportation and improve air quality. Examples like these show micromobility as a leading solution to the immediate and long-term challenges faced by cities today.

At Urban Sharing, we encourage everyone to practice social distancing as much as possible — the only way to flatten the curve of infection is if everyone does their part. We also fully support the hardworking staff of hospitals, security forces, and food stores around the world, who are working under demanding circumstances to keep our lives as normal and healthy as possible.

As providers of technology for micromobility, we hope we can play a part in helping someone who needs to travel, by offering them the means to do so in a way that minimizes risk to themselves and others. However, please be aware of the recommended precautions given by your city when traveling on shared vehicles.

Shared micromobility is about making cities healthier, friendlier, and more collaborative, and we believe in that vision now more than ever. Just like everyone else, at Urban Sharing we are hoping that this difficult time passes quickly. Until then, we’ll keep (remotely) working to build the smart solutions for urban mobility that our future needs.

Take care of your beloved ones, and stay safe.

Marius Olsen, CEO