Faribault and Bird, a leader in environmentally friendly electric transportation, are teaming up to bring shared e-scooters to the city beginning Friday, Sept. 2. The eco-friendly transportation option can be activated through Bird’s free mobile phone application and used to replace gas-powered car trips when going to the store, meeting up with friends, exploring the community and taking many other daily trips.
“We are excited to welcome Bird to Faribault and look forward to a new and fun way for residents and visitors to get around town,” said Police Chief John Sherwin. “The Police Department encourages the safe use of Bird scooters on Faribault’s streets and trails. Whether you’re riding a Bird as transportation or recreation, we remind the public to obey all traffic laws. We also ask that when your ride is complete, to respect private property when parking your e-scooter.”
Bird aims to make cities more livable by reducing car trips, traffic and carbon emissions. The company’s scooters, developed by an in-house team of leading engineering and vehicle design experts, also provide a naturally socially distanced way to get around and offer residents without cars another transportation option.
“We applaud the City of Faribault for their commitment to offering convenient, environmentally friendly and reliable transportation options to residents and visitors,” said Austin Marshburn, Head of City and University Partnerships at Bird.
There is no cost to the City of Faribault - for the initial launch or for ongoing maintenance - as a result of the arrival, and Bird must provide insurance coverage exclusively for the operation of Stand-up electric scooters.
In addition, the stand-up electric scooters are to be ridden on streets, and where available, in bike lanes and bike paths. Stand-up electric scooters are to stay to the right of street lanes and to offer the right of way to bicycles in bike lanes and on bike paths. Users of stand-up electric scooters shall be 18 or older. Bird's local fleet managers are responsible for rebalancing and moving vehicles throughout the city during operating hours. They pay attention to areas of scooter congestion as well as demand throughout the day, and rebalance vehicles accordingly. On the rider side, riders are required to take a photo of their appropriately parked Bird after each ride, which adds a layer of accountability.
Bird is proud to offer a number of features and benefits to riders in Faribault. Some of which include:
- Community Pricing: Bird’s inclusive Community Pricing Program offers a 50% discount to low-income riders, Pell grant recipients, select local nonprofit and community organizations, veterans and senior citizens. Those who qualify can sign up by downloading the Bird app, creating an account and emailing proof of eligibility to access@bird.co.
- Free Rides for Healthcare Workers and Emergency Personnel: To recognize the individuals whose work continues to be so crucial to the health and safety of our communities, Bird offers free rides to healthcare workers and emergency personnel. Those who qualify can sign up by emailing a copy of their medical identification card, name and phone number to together@bird.co. Eligible riders receive two free 30-minute rides per day.
- Community Mode: Bird values community input. Anyone with a Bird account can report or provide feedback on vehicle-related issues such as poorly parked or damaged vehicles in their area by tapping the yield sign on the bottom left of the in-app Bird map. When a report is submitted, someone is assigned to correct the issue.
More information about Bird can be found within its FAQ sheet.
About Bird
Bird is an electric vehicle company dedicated to bringing affordable, environmentally friendly transportation solutions such as e-scooters and e-bikes to communities across the world. Founded in 2017 by transportation pioneer Travis VanderZanden, Bird is rapidly expanding. Today, it provides fleets of shared micro electric vehicles to riders in more than 400 cities globally and makes its products available for purchase at www.bird.co and via leading retailers and distribution partners. Bird partners closely with the cities in which it operates to provide a reliable and affordable transportation option for people who live and work there.