OLD TOWN, Maine — Electric scooters will soon be zipping through Old Town in an eco-friendly, clean-air-promoting way. The city announced it will be offering electric Bird scooters starting Tuesday.
This new option for transportation was announced in a news release issued by the city of Old Town on Tuesday, indicating the city partnered with Bird to make it happen. Old Town is the first city in Maine to do so.
"We are thrilled to welcome Bird to Old Town and look forward to offering community members a new, eco-friendly, and fun way to get around," EJ Roach, Old Town’s director of economic and community development, said in the release. "Whether riding in and around downtown Old Town, or visiting the several shopping plazas on Stillwater Avenue, residents and visitors will now have a new way to get there. We expect the arrival of the scooters to bring economic impact to our city, with riders more likely to shop at local businesses."
Residents can access and activate the e-scooters through Bird's mobile app, the release says.
Bird's website says the e-scooters can be reserved for up to 30 minutes in advance.
According to the release, Bird "aims to make cities more livable by reducing car trips, traffic, and carbon emissions."
“We applaud the city of Old Town for their commitment to offering convenient, environmentally friendly, and reliable transportation options to residents and visitors," Head of City and University Partnerships at Bird Austin Marshburn said in the release.
With Old Town being in such close proximity to the University of Maine, seeing an influx in population during the academic year, Bird will help reduce the increase in gas-powered car emissions.
It also provides a transportation option that is easily accessible and affordable for college students.
Old Town's decision comes shortly after the city of Biddeford rejected a partnership with Bird. The Saco Bay News reported the proposal never came to fruition due to a lack of space on sidewalks. City officials said city parking spaces could be an alternative to the narrow sidewalk issue to station the e-scooters, but that it would be an "inefficient use" of the parking spaces.
The city of Portland is also joining in on additional transportation options for its residents. The first bike-share program with Tandem Mobility launched in Maine on Aug. 15 with 50 bikes offered to city-goers. In a few months, that number will up to 200 bikes in Portland, 50 of which will be electric.
Similar to the Bird e-scooters in Old Town, Portland residents simply have to download a mobile app to access and use the bikes.
According to the release, Bird is offering the following features and benefits to the residents of Old Town:
- "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."
For more information about Bird, click here.
