An Aruba court has backed enforcement against e-step rental businesses operating on public roads without the required authorization, according to a report published Wednesday.
The decision is the latest development in Aruba’s months-long debate over electric scooters and other small electric vehicles. Justice Minister Arthur Dowers said operators that continue placing unauthorized vehicles on public roads may face court-ordered penalties.
Penalties tied to unauthorized vehicles
According to 24ora, the ruling provides for a penalty of Afl. 500 for each vehicle involved when a business does not comply with the order. Dowers said companies must either remove the vehicles from public roads or risk accumulating the penalties.
The minister said the businesses had not obtained permission to operate the vehicles in traffic. He distinguished those operating rights from limited permission previously granted for bicycle racks or similar street fixtures.
A new enforcement stage
The ruling gives the government a clearer basis to act after earlier disputes over seizures, returns and the legal treatment of e-steps. ArubaNews.ca has covered those earlier stages separately; Wednesday’s judgment concerns the current enforcement action against rental operations on public roads.
Dowers said authorities would begin taking the steps needed to prevent unauthorized e-steps from being used in traffic. Businesses may still apply for permits, but the court found that filing an application does not by itself authorize continued operations while approval is pending.
What happens next
Operators now face a choice between removing the vehicles from public roads or risking the per-vehicle penalties described in the ruling. The government is expected to use the decision as it continues enforcing traffic and business rules for small electric vehicles.
Source: Information based on reporting from 24ora.
