Scooters coming to Austin via Bird Rides, Inc.

Published 6:12 pm Tuesday, May 3, 2022

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Would partner with community member

 

It looks like people will be able to scoot around Austin a little easier.

The Austin City Council on Monday gave the nod to proceed with a contract with Bird Rides, Inc. to bring 75 stand-up scooters to Austin.

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Use of the scooters will be facilitated through an app people can download on their phone, with rentals coming out to be $6 a ride.

The scooters are currently active in both Albert Lea and New Ulm.

According to Julianne Roller of Bird Rides, the scooters will be placed at strategic locations throughout the city, though there was no indication as to where exactly they will be put. Depending on use, those locations could shift in the early goings of the project.

“We would be partnering with a local community member, entrepreneur or small business,” Roller said Monday to the council. “They would know the community well to deploy the scooters in locations.”

The scooters will not be allowed to be ridden on trails and sidewalks and would not be available to the public from Nov. 15-April 1.

There was no indication Monday night when exactly the scooters would be coming to Austin.