The City of Indio and Bird, a leader in environmentally friendly electric transportation, are teaming up to bring shared e-scooters to the city. The eco-friendly transportation option can be activated through Bird’s free mobile phone app, and used to replace gas powered car trips when going to the store, meeting up with friends, exploring the community and much more.
Indio Councilmembers approved a one-year pilot program with Bird at tonight’s meeting, with an anticipated launch this spring. The program comes at no cost to the city, and will end on March 2, 2023 unless otherwise extended. The City has the right to end the agreement with 30 days notice.
“We are excited to welcome Bird to the City of Indio,” said Indio Mayor Waymond Fermon. “Whether going to the Farmers Market downtown, seeing some of the city’s new sculptures, commuting to work or school, residents and visitors now have another fun, eco-friendly way to get around.”
“We applaud the City of Indio 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.
Bird’s stand-up electric scooters are only allowed on streets, bike lanes and bike paths, and should be parked upright in the ‘furniture zone’ of the sidewalk, beside a bicycle rack or in another area specifically designated for bicycle parking. Additional information about parking and riding in the City of Indio can be found here. Residents can report safety concerns, complaints, or ask questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by contacting Bird Customer Support at hello@bird.co or via their support line at (866) 205-2442.
Scooters will be located throughout the city, with real-time locations visible in the free Bird app.
To recognize the individuals whose work continues to be so crucial to the health and safety of our communities, Bird offers two free 30-minute rides per day 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.
Founded in 2017 by Travis VanderZanden, 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.