Scooter-sharing services have been on the streets of cities around the U.S. and beyond for the last year or so, and their proliferation has been remarkable — perhaps a little too remarkable for some people.
With competition among more than 10 companies intensifying, one of the big players in the market, Bird, is launching a new service to make it more convenient than ever to take a ride on one of its electric scooters. How? By delivering it to your home or office.
Pricing, availability, and a list of launch cities for the Bird Delivery service will be announced shortly, the company said, adding that it’s keen to provide convenient, all-day access to its scooters.
“Riders can then use it throughout the day to guarantee that they have an easy, affordable way to move around their city or campus without getting into a car, being stuck in traffic, and adding carbon emissions to the atmosphere,” Bird said in a statement.
It could turn out to be a smart move, handing scooters to people before they even step out of the door so they don’t have to go searching for one on the app, or even call on the services of Uber or Lyft for a car ride from home.
“Bird was created to provide an equitable, convenient, and reliable alternative to short car trips,” said Bird founder and CEO Travis VanderZanden. “Since launching, we are continually inspired by riders who opt for Bird rides over traveling by car, and share in the pain of riders when they express frustration about not having consistent and reliable access to Bird.”
The announcement of Bird Delivery coincides with the company’s launch of its most rugged electric scooter yet. Called Bird Zero, the scooter features improved battery life for greater range, solid core tires, a wider riding deck, and a low center of gravity for what Bird promises will be a smoother, more comfortable ride.
The new Bird Zero scooter also includes a digital display showing speed, battery life, and distance traveled.
Rides on Bird scooters currently cost 15 cents a minute, and a dollar to unlock it. The company currently offers its electric scooters in 52 locations across the U.S., and in four cities in other countries.
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