NC State’s campus is empty of students and of the familiar scattering of green scooters outside residence halls and leaned against brick buildings. When students stopped going to class in March, Lime paused activity on campus. 

According to Sarah Williams, transportation demand manager at NCSU Transportation, NC State is in no hurry to resume operation and will remain without Lime services during the summer, since all summer classes will be administered online this year. Lime also temporarily furloughed its employees.

Williams said Lime bikes and scooters will return to campus when both NCSU Transportation and Lime agree it is safe for everyone.

“It’s not on one of us alone,” Williams said. “We will sit down and decide together what the best plan moving forward will be.” 

NC State will not experience any financial impact due to the freeze of Lime activity on campus. The partnership with Lime doesn’t cost anything for the university, as they just have a contract permitting Lime to operate on campus, Williams said. 

Efforts that Lime is making to keep communities safe as they begin to open markets, as outlined in CEO and Founder Brad Bao’s COVID-19 response letter, include: 

• Enhancing cleaning methods and increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting scooters. Cleaning all parts of the scooter that are touched by people and only using products recommended by the CDC on the Center for Biocide Chemistries list that have been approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19.

• Distributing hand sanitizer in all offices and warehouses and requiring mechanics and operators in the field to wear gloves and wash their hands regularly. 

• Following the CDC, the World Health Organization, federal agencies, and other global health organizations to collect the most up-to-the-minute information to ensure the actions they take are practical. 

Lime will follow these guidelines to decide whether to continue, pause or suspend operations in certain markets, according to Bao’s letter. 

In preparation for Lime’s return to campus, Williams advises that students follow the sanitation recommendations outlined by Bao, which include: 

• Wiping down a scooter or bike with disinfectant before your ride

• Wearing gloves as a precaution and washing your hands before and after riding

For more updates regarding NC State Transportation COVID-19 Impacts, visit their website.