Lime Scooters Reactivating Despite Coronavirus Pandemic, Offering Free Rides to Health Care Workers and Law Enforcement

Lime scooters are looking to make a comeback in a post-pandemic world. The company, which rents out electric scooters in densely populated parts of cities, has been one of the many industries impacted by millions of people across the U.S. who were (or still are) under some kind of stay-at-home mandate to help slow the spread of coronavirus. Now, Lime is looking to make their mode of transportation a viable option once again, according to The Verge.

"The pandemic has made transportation more difficult, and our scooters offer an easy way for people to travel while social distancing," the company wrote in a statement on April 15. "In addition, Lime will offer free 30-minute rides for public-health personnel and law enforcement officers, who can receive access simply by signing up. Micromobility plays a critical role in moving people seamlessly through cities, and as an individual form of transportation, scooters can help fill an integral transportation gap at this important time."

It also detailed a number of cities where it will work to formalize local partnerships with public health officials, community organizations and other key stakeholders. The cities include Paris, France; Dallas, Texas; and Washington, D.C., to name a few. "Lime is proud to partner with cities to provide scooters as an essential transportation option to reliably get frontline workers and residents where they need to go," Lime's Chief Policy Officer David Spielfogel added. "We remain committed to the cities we love and serve, and we recognize the critical role of micromobility in serving transportation needs now and as we emerge from this crisis."

The travel industry has been one of the most hardest hit by the pandemic, with people everywhere canceling their trips out of concern while struggling to get refunds for their tickets. Despite the situation, Carnival Cruise Ships announced on Monday that it would resume operations in a limited capacity with eight ships setting sale in August. Three of those boats will take off from Galveston, Texas with another three leaving Miami and the other two from Port Canaveral, Florida on Aug. 1.

The company also issued a statement claiming that they are "committed to supporting all public health efforts to manage the COVID-19 situation." In a follow-up statement, the cruise line said any resumption is "fully dependant" in cooperation with federal, state, local and international government officials, though no specifics were given.