City Council to Consider Extension of Bird Rides, Inc. Agreement
Published on November 16, 2022
On Thursday, November 17, City Council will consider a resolution approving a one-year extension of the Pilot Operating Agreement (POA) between the City and Bird Rides, Inc., a micromobility company that distributes electric scooters designed for short-term rental. The agreement was previously approved by City Council on November 18, 2021.
Bird Rides, Inc., has been operating in the City since the beginning of this year. The company reports that usage has been strong, especially through this past summer. The scooters are primarily used for recreation, but travel data collected by the company suggests the scooters are used for purposes such as commuting to and from work. The following are statistics provided by Bird Rides, Inc.:
- 150 scooters are operating in Medford
- 3.975 metric tones of CO2 have been saved
- 21,068 total rides
- 28, 152 total miles traveled
If approved, the extension of the POA will allow the service to continue operating for another year, or until a permanent operating agreement can be adopted.
Click here(PDF, 974KB) to view more information from Bird Rides, Inc., including a rider map.
The electric scooters can be used on roads and in bike lanes and have a maximum speed of 15mph. Scooters must be parked out of the way of pedestrians and never blocking driveways. Riders are required to be 18 years-old and above to access the scooters. They are also encouraged to wear a helmet on every ride and are required to obey all standard rules of the road.
If a resident has questions or concerns about the e-scooters the company can be reached directly at 1-866-205-2442 or hello@bird.co. The support line is available 24/7.