The city of Pittsfield and Bird, a leader in environmentally-friendly electric transportation, have teamed up to bring shared e-scooters to the city. The scooters can be activated through Bird’s free mobile phone app (of the same name) and offers a fun and accessible mode of transportation.

The Bird e-scooters, which made their debut in Pittsfield last week, have already received a warm welcome by the community. Since their arrival, the scooters have been in constant use, with members of the public frequently sharing pictures of themselves posing with the scooters on social media.

To date, there have been 905 rides averaging 3 miles per ride, representing an average of 150 rides per day, according to usage data.

With the soft launch now complete, on Wednesday, May 4, Mayor Linda Tyer officially welcomed Bird e-scooters to the city of Pittsfield.

“Pittsfield has now joined a global community of more than 400 cities which have chosen to provide this exciting service to the public. It’s absolutely thrilling to know that so many Pittsfielders and visitors have already embraced Bird e-scooters throughout our city. We look forward to seeing more members of our community have their own amazing experiences with these scooters,” Tyer said

Commissioner Ricardo Morales, of the city’s department of Public Services and Utilities, spearheaded this project and said the scooters represent an essential component in the next phase of travel.

“When it comes to micro-mobility, scooters provide an option for those seeking single passenger transportation,” said Morales, who has used the scooters and often travels through the city on his personal e-bike. “With an existing bike lane infrastructure in place, the city of Pittsfield was well-positioned to collaborate with Bird and provide dedicated spaces for riders in our city.”

The scooters can be used throughout the city following municipally-owned streets. The Bird app provides a more detailed view of the service and operation area. Additionally, the city is currently working with Bird to establish preferred parking areas that will be designated for scooter dropoffs.

Through the Bird app’s Community Mode feature, individuals 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.

Bird, which was founded in 2017 and specializes in environmentally friendly electric transportation aims to make cities more livable by reducing car trips, traffic, and carbon emissions. The company’s scooters are developed by an in-house team of leading engineering and vehicle design experts.

“We applaud the city of Pittsfield 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 offers several features and benefits to riders. Some of which include:

● Community pricing: Bird’s Community Pricing Program offers a 50 percent discount to under-resourced 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: 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. For more information about Bird, please visit www.bird.co

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