There is an offer on the table that would end what for decades has been the bane of existence for many Martha’s Vineyard summers: rental mopeds.
The owner of Oak Bluffs’ final three operational moped licenses is offering to sell all three to the town, or to any nonprofit or interested party.
“How bad do you want to get rid of them?” John Leone asked rhetorically in a recent interview with The Times.
For Leone — the owner of licenses at Island Hoppers, Ride On Moped and King’s Rentals for the past roughly 15 years — the price is $1.9 million. He says that is a fair, market-rate deal for the approximately 180 mopeds he’s permitted to rent.
Moped rentals, while historically popular for summer visitors to the Island, have been problematic for many residents. They slow down traffic on narrow, crowded roads and have caused many accidents, some fatal like this past August when a young woman died in Oak Bluffs near Big Bridge.
Selling off the three licenses would effectively take rental mopeds off Vineyard streets, because the town, in perpetuity, could choose to not allow any other licenses, while taking rentals off the street at those three locations. Tisbury was the only other town with a rental license, but the select board last summer voted to reject an application from Island Adventure Rentals to rent mopeds. And public opinion has strongly favored getting rid of moped rentals.
If Oak Bluffs were to buy the three licenses back, it would likely have to go before voters at town meeting. Leone said it could be a collective of towns across the Island that could pool funding.
But there is a question of how it would happen. So far, Leone hasn’t gotten much interest from town officials. Leone, with evidence in emails provided to The Times, says that the town’s select board has not offered to meet in a public meeting to discuss an alternative to the moped ban legislation, since he began trying in March.
Reached for comment, Oak Bluffs select board chair Gail Barmakian said that the town has not seen an official proposal with a dollar amount from Leone. Also, she said that the town would need to check with its legal counsel to see if it were even feasible. But, not to this proposal specifically, she noted that there is interest in getting rental mopeds off the streets.
Currently, Leone and his three licenses are in a bit of a limbo period. He has had trouble selling the licenses to another owner, with Vineyard towns pursuing state legislation to ban moped rentals outright — passed at town meetings as home rule petitions. That’s a tough market for a potential buyer.
But at the same time, with the legislation failing to pass after multiple attempts, Leone said it likely never will pass, and he will probably pass the business down through his family, in perpetuity.
Or he will reach a compromise with the community.
“I’m 61; I’m getting older,” Leone said, who also has rental businesses on Block Island, where there is a similar controversy over moped rentals. “I’m throwing it out there to see if there is interest.”
Some Island residents who have pushed for the removal of rentals are intrigued by the $1.9 million proposal.
Todd Rebello, a former select board member in Oak Bluffs who helped draft regulations in the early 2000s, indicated that Leone’s offer could be reasonable. Rebello, during his time on the board, worked with local rental agencies to decrease the number of mopeds available in town. And he and the town had success.
“We went from 675 mopeds in 2003, until today, we are under 200 mopeds,” Rebello said.
The effort, he said, included negotiating with rental agencies to give them something in return for eliminating mopeds from their lots. Rebello said the town provided a liquor license to the Sandbar and Grill in exchange for removing mopeds. At the 2004 Oak Bluffs town meeting, voters agreed to reduce the number of licenses from six to five licenses, taking 80 mopeds off the street at the same time. The select board, in 2016, also worked on an exchange with the owner of Sun ’n’ Fun rentals to provide additional Jeep rentals instead of mopeds, taking another roughly 50 rentals off the street.
As for Leone’s business holdings, Rebello said that he originally sat down with the license holder to try and reach an agreement, but Leone was holding firm at $3 million, which Rebello thought was too steep. But coming to under $2 million, Rebello said, could be realistic.
“The concept as it is, I think can be done,” the former select board member told The Times. “I cannot accept the fact that many of these people who invested all this money for second homes would not be on board with getting rid of what is a nuisance to them. I think there is a possibility now that the number has come down considerably.”
Tim Rich, former Chilmark Police chief, who has been a longtime advocate for banning mopeds, was somewhat conflicted over the potential deal to sell the licenses back to the town. He was in favor of any means of getting the rentals off the streets, but believed that the town could have done a better job enforcing its regulations in the past. Earlier this year, the town agreed to allow Leone to consolidate two licenses on the Island Hopper lot. Rich believes that that equates to a transfer, which isn’t allowed under the bylaws, a point that Leone and the town have disputed.
But Rich is also conflicted over whether taxpayer money should be spent buying the licenses, but believed that if a group of individuals were to come forward with the money, he would back it.
“I support anything that achieves the goal of not having rental mopeds on Martha’s Vineyard. As long as it’s legal,” Rich told The Times. “But I don’t like the extortion attitude behind it.”
For Leone, he said the $1.9 million is a fair, market-rate value for which he would be willing to part with his business. Either way, he’s hoping to open a dialogue.
“Whether you love them, hate them, or are neutral — this should be brought to the town’s people for discussion,” Leone said.
Yes, pay this man his 1.9 million so he can reinvest that money into e bikes which travel at the same rate of speed. Genius. Got to give it to him.
Very good point
Many people who will rent mopeds will not rent e bikes, not enough horsepower.
Mopeds can take two.
Do you want rental more e bikes on the island?
You are absolutely correct in your assessment. I see a lot of e-bikes and electric scooters on the island. I have been coming to MV for decades to play tennis. I can’t afford to bring my car over on the ferry so I have to track around Oak Bluff or bring my bicycle…I’m tired of the bicycle….so.i.bought a Honda gas scooter that goes about 35mph. That worked out perfectly as I trailer my scooter down to Woods Hole. That said; what is wrong with slowing down cars on MV? The cars go way too fast on MV, illegally passing me in no passing zones when I have LU plates which gives me the right to be on the middle of the lane. I have morons that pass me too close like a foot away from me who ended up waiting in traffic in front of me as I also waited in traffic who I wanted to have a few words with about his arrogance. My scooter worked out just fine. My E scooter also will work out fine. Scooters aren’t a nuisance; cars are a nuisance. Article.stated about a scooter death, there were car deaths on MV too. Any bike deaths? I can recall at least 1.
You don’t live here, you don’t have the right to dictate speed limits here. Mind your own business. If you don’t like it go play golf elsewhere. We have jobs, we have things to do, we don’t want to have a speed limit of 25 mph just so you feel comfortable on your underpowered scooter.
Scott you do live here? You do not have the right to dictate speed limits.
Then only people who the right to dictate speed limits are true Islanders, people whose parents were born here.
What percentage of Island voters would vote for a 25 mph speed limit?
About the same percentage that did not vote for Trump?
How fast should scooters go?
Originally from Michigan, we have an entire island that banned gas-powered vehicles decades ago, and guess what? Nobody’s treating the streets like a racetrack because, shocker, you can’t speed with a horse and carriage. Maybe Martha’s Vineyard should give it a try. Slow down, take a breath, and try enjoying the scenery instead of terrorizing it.
Put up a go fund me site– I’m in for $50 .
I think a lot of people would be willing to contribute.
The town could make up any shortfall.
Tim Rich’s “extortion” comment is well-said.
Here’s a thought: 1.9 million to get rid of 200 mopeds comes to $9,500.00 Per moped. Perhaps there could be a buy-back version of this, where individuals, governments, or interested parties could purchase individual “moped-reduction” certificates for $9,500.00 each, which when presented to the license owner and town, would one-at-a-time automatically reduce the number of allowed mopeds. Sooner or later, we’d be rid of the d**n things.
You could also raise the money by taxing moped rentals at say, ten per cent, with the proceeds going to purchase “reduction certificates”…that would shift the burden to the folks crazy enough to use those machines. Or the Town could raise the price of moped licenses to the equivalent of two or three “certificates” per year, and use the proceeds to buy out more machines each year, and gradually cut down on the size of the “fleet”.
It’s not extortion.
It’s 2024.
It’s The Art of the Deal.
Capitalism at it’s finest.
Transactional.
No free lunch.
Electric bike rentals reduced moped rentals this last summer. Summer 2025 they will make moped rentals a losing proposition, I say don’t throw a bone to the cigarette manufacturers or to individuals that rent mopeds, let them die on the vine and shrivel up as we collectively watch.
How much profit did he make this year?
Is there an another $1.9 million of profit to be taken out?
Are the electric bikes, that people will rent, safer than the gas mopeds?
He is a business man, he will get his $1.9 million one way or another
yes. the E bikes are safer than gas mopeds. it’s not even a question.
The point is made in the article that it would be hard for the owner to sell the business to anyone else. So the town or towns should be the fool that buys it?
He would like to sell
It is a very profitable business.
He is a business man.
The Art of the Deal.
Or they could just keep renting them, while the town spends money to keep trying to shut them down.
You are covered in my opinion and some suggesting he will invest in e-bikes. There is no difference. I ride my gas scooter over on the ferry; worked out perfectly as the island is too big for a bike. Car drivers are the nuisance in my opinion; they drive too fast, pass too close and arrogant SOBs. I have an LU plate which gives me.the.right to be.in the.middle of the road…and yet car drivers try to intimidate me.
Does he own the land or simply lease it? If he owns it, it is worth much more than 1.9mm. One needs to look at historical earnings and give it a multiplier for true market value. It is not the bikes themselves even though they are an asset. It is the current revenue and earnings that determine the value. No individual will buy it as long they think OB can ban the use. Having the town buy it essentially burdens the tax payer even more.
Andrew, please, you think you can get the real estate for $1.9 million?
What island do live on?
The bikes are not an asset, they are a consumable.
60 rentals and they are consumed.
He is a business man, he knows the value of his business.
He wants out.
He will get his $1.9 million now, or get it over 5-10 years with interest.
Do you want mopeds gone?
They are not free to rent, or get rid of.
The scooters are assets by definition; someone would by it to use for going to high school or a delivery person would buy one. I am a pro scooter enthusiast; as long as it is used properly just what car drivers are suppose to do too. Beach goers parking their cars are a nuisance just the same; they cause traffic problems by making u-turns and awful parallel parking on busy roads.
It looks as if he is only seeking to sell the operating licenses. That would leave him the other assets to liquidate or transfer as he sees fit. His business has been targeted by the select board and citizen groups for a while. He is offering a solution. None of his detractors can be taken seriously if they do not at least entertain his proposal, and perhaps counter it with one of their own. Coming for him with torches and pitchforks has not been an effective strategy. Money talks.
There is no extortion motivation behind the proposal. NONE. The owner simply says he will sell it for 1.9mm because it is a going concern and his livelihood depends on it. If you want to ban them then buy my business. No extortion. Not useful to accuse a bona fide offer as extortion.
It is not extortion.
It is the Art of of the Deal.
If someone has something you want you are going to have to pay for it.
If someone has something you do not want to exist you are going to have to pay for it.
Is it worth spending $1.9 million of tax money to rid the Island Moped Mop Ups?
Yes! The E-bikes on the bike/walking paths are as dangerous as the mopeds on the open roads. Not sure what the answer is. Folks will keep inventing things.
Runners are a danger walkers.
Serious runners are a danger to runners.
Bike riders are a danger to runners.
Serious bike riders are a danger to bike riders.
E bike riders are a danger bike riders.
Mopeds are a danger to E bike riders.
Cars are a danger to everything.
Speed does not kill.
Speed differential kills.
Things not moving kill.
Trees are deadly.
The bigger hardwoods do not move.
I agree, how is it extortion to trade a literal business for money?
What is the meaning of the word license
: a right or permission granted by a competent authority (as of a government or a business) to engage in some business or occupation, do some act, or engage in some transaction which would be unlawful without such right or permission. also : a document, plate, or tag evidencing a license granted.
If this is truly a matter of public safety.
Why not revoke the license? Refund the cost of the license fee. Be done with it.
Because with the revocation; the government has targeted an individual and a business which caused financial hardship where his right to do business and the use of his capital will harm him where permitted business activities were granted and now revoked. If the government wants to stop this activity the gov shop give just compensation; just like when the government wants your house to make it a dog park
What are the grounds for revocation?
Mopeds kill?
Alcohol kills.
Revoke liquor licenses?
Moped rentals are a dying business. The money is in electric bike rentals. They are safer, can be used on the bike paths and they are out of the road.. I wouldn’t give him a dime. I would offer incentives for competitive bike rental companies and drown Leones thing out of business.
Sorry, Mike. E bikes on the bike paths are not “safer”. Have you had one whiz by you at 20 mph or more. It’s scary.
C Charlin any experienced bike rider in good shape
with a decent bike can easily exceed 20 mph on a regular
bike. I think e bike rentals should be limited to category one and two
ebikes that are limited to 20 mph.
Hmm, maybe enforcing bike path speed limits could be a revenue producer for towns.
I agree. They can go just as fast…ebikes should be on the road and bike paths (as long as knuckle heads practice safe driving; pass 4 feet from)
How much profit did he make this year?
25% of asking price?
The moped thing is a joke. The e bikes,boards!,balls, scooters, will all replace the mopeds and their casualties in a year or two. Besides the mopeds were introduced and guaranteed by the State to head off the fuel crisis- try to buy your way out of that one! DUH i heard windmill riding was going to be the new thing for natural selection. Hope so.
Personal liability for injuries or deaths would seem to get rid of rentals. Why not?
Tim Rich is right. Rebello is wrong if it’s reasonable Todd you pay it. Be a hero.
Now that mopeds have been reduced to 20% of their original numbers and have reached a point of Moderation I don’t give a shit what happens. There have been multiple legislative failures and a failed court battle with the town. It’s sad that their are accidents and people’s live are affected but stop the bitching and either think outside the box to get rid of the remaining licenses or accept the status quo. A private purchase with public benefit of the remaining licenses is the avenue. Conservation is not only in buying land. It can be in buying quality of life. I’m not so sure public monies should be used but we built a hospital
With private monies maybe we can find the people who have heavily invested in the island dream with $20 million dollar spreads and improve the pathway to those properties with safer roads. I feel good about my involvement with others in reducing the Moped footprint on the island over some 20 years without hurting livelihoods. So understand nothing I said referred to the taxpayers paying the bill.
Hang tough, Todd. You’re onto something important. You’ve done a great job trying to make our roads safer for all. But think about Mike Savoy’s idea to let mopeds die a natural death. There’s some merit to his idea. In any case, your heart’s in the right place. Let’s do everything we can to stop scraping people off the roads from moped accidents!
Take it to a town meeting vote –
How about Leone is responsible for the moped deaths or loss of limbs from his business? What’s that worth to the poor family that lost their daughter, sister and mother last summer? Require him to go to the funeral and explain why he just does not care that his moped business has killed or maimed so many. Or he could go to rehab with the girl athlete that lost her leg from his moped. Help her strap on her leg and struggle through loss and pain to simply walk again. It’s not simply a nuisance, this is an atrocity. Why can’t his license be revoked? How much is their loss of life worth? Apparently 1.9 million for Leone. This is just horrifying and sickening that we keep having this conversation. We will have more loss of life next summer.
This argument is only legitimate if he rented dysfunctional equipment or did not provide adequate instruction and education.
Do you blame car companies for road fatalities ?
Liquor stores for alcoholism ?
Gyms for torn ligaments ?
Is that how it works for rental cars?
“Why can’t his license be revoked?” On what legal basis?
Can the town just shut down all restaurants and bars?
His moped business didn’t kill anyone; the car driver killed that daughter/mom/sister/lover…
Some people here are concerned about replacing mopeds with
e bikes that are just as dangerous.
I have a pedal assist bike–that means it only moves
if the operator is pedaling– just like a regular bike.
it tops out at 20 mph–
it feels and rides like a bike– When I’m on it
I can pretend I’m 22 years old instead of 72.
There are 4 classes of e bikes
1 ) pedal assist- top speed 20 mph
2) pedal assist or throttle – top speed 20 mph
3) pedal assist or throttle – top speed 28 mph
4) throttle – top speed 28 mph and over
I don’t think any of the bicycle rental places rent
category 4 e bikes– If they do, they should
be responsible and recognize the danger of putting inexperienced
people on such a vehicle. I trust bike rental companies
are more responsible than moped rental companies.
Owners take notice– You will have a much harder time sleeping
if someone dies on your rental bike while doing 40 miles an hour
than if someone is doing 15–
If the towns want to get ahead of the curve
on this problem, they should definitely ban the rentals of
category 4 bikes, and possibly category 3.
20 miles an hour is a fine top speed for a bicycle.
Of course, private e bikes are a different matter,
and there are already state regulations governing
the faster ones– I’m pretty sure you have to have
have a driver’s license to operate a category 4
e bike, although the law seems to be a bit ambiguous.
Mopeds are on the way out– let’s get ahead of the
e bikes. My proposal is to allow only category 1 and 2
e bikes–WITH MIRRORS AND LIGHTS. let’s do it before the carnage starts.
Politicians take notice.
While I am at it, could the police please tell people on bicycles
to ride with traffic and stay off sidewalks ?
Also– to the VTA– please stay out of the bike lanes.
Thank you.
I finally aggree with something you said
How about banning car drivers going over 20mph?
Sam– we have speed limits that are imposed by
reasonable authorities that vary depending on the conditions.
Dedicated bike 🚴 lanes.
Stupid. I encourage anyone renting these death traps all sue this company after any injury and they will file bankruptcy. Cost to town, zero
You encourage someone to injure themselves and blame someone else for it? No self accountability? Liberal state of mind.
He has liability insurance.
He is business man.
The guy is a businessman, wants to sell his business at a fair market value like any of you would if you ever owned a business and had to make a payroll.
As for eBikes, they go as fast or faster then a moped BUT they are allowed on the bike paths and could prove to be even more dangerous so have a long hard look at new rules for eBikes, before you jumps.
$1.9 mill seems very reasonable but look at the ramifications and all aspects of this decision before jumping as many decisions prior by different boards were foolish.
BTW: how many people does he employ?
Just summer dinks.
Any motorized vehicles should be off of bike paths. They are dangerous and the paths weere not built with them in mind. An average person would have a very tough time maintaining 20mph on a regular bike. The governors on these must be easily bypassed because even in off season I can clock them going over 35mph
Kevin–Not all e bikes are created equal.
Read my comment above.
We can’t do much about private people buying
an electric motorcycle and think it’s an e-bike,
but we can regulate bike rentals, and that is what the discussion
is about. I personally think that e bike rentals should be limited
to category 1 and 2 e bikes–20 mph top speed and
the governors cannot be easily
overridden. Especially on a rental bike.
One thing about category 1 and 2 bikes is that they only have one front sprocket
the assist cuts out at 20 , but If I really lean into it, I can go faster, but
I start getting into the fact that I can’t pedal fast enough to go much faster
because of the low gearing.
But the people who do rent
bikes that can do 28 mph do not have to go that fast. People rent cars
that can do 120 mph, but they don’t have to drive them at top speed.
While we’re at it, let’s get the e-bikes off the bike paths. Oh, that’s right, nobody cares about the e-bikes’ dangerous presence on the bike paths because they’re not in your way on the roads. It’s no secret that the origin of the mopeds are dangerous campaign was annoyance with the mopeds slowing people down from getting to their up Island homes on narrow winding roads. Lots of things are dangerous. Including e-bikes. I’ve almost been plowed into and have been terrorized by them, and I have witnessed a serious ebike accident. They are a menace.
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