The Town of Little Elm is partnering with the shared electric scooter company, Bird Rides, to bring e-scooters to the residents and visitors. Just in time for summer, Bird is a naturally socially distanced way to get around.
The scooters are available through a mobile phone application, and riders pay to use the scooter per minute, at no cost to the Town.
"We are happy to welcome Bird to the Town of Little Elm and look forward to having the scooters available. I think they will make a great addition to our community and offer stakeholders a new way to travel to and from our Lakefront amenities," said Town Manager Matt Mueller.
An additional benefit of using e-scooters is a reduction in carbon emissions. The scooters can also help alleviate traffic congestion on roadways. Bird scooters also provide a safe way to get around during the pandemic and offer residents without automobiles another transportation option.
The electric scooters can be used on roads and 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 at least 18 years old to access the scooters.
Users are encouraged to wear helmets when riding and are required to obey all standard rules of the road.
"Scooters make for a useful way to bridge the gap between public transportation and a person's home or work. More transportation options can bring a lot of benefits to the Town," Mueller said.
Bird offers the following programs that are available for all who qualify:
Community Pricing: Bird's Community Pricing Program offers a 50 percent discount to low-income riders, Pell grant recipients, select local nonprofit and community organizations, veterans, and senior citizens. It's designed to be the most inclusive micro-mobility discount program available anywhere. Sign up for the Community Pricing Program, download the Bird app, create an account, and email your proof of eligibility to access@bird.co.
Free Rides for Healthcare Workers and Emergency Personnel: Bird is proud to offer free rides to healthcare workers and emergency personnel.
To sign up, email a copy of your medical identification card along with your name and phone number to together@bird.co. Eligible riders will receive two free 30-minute rides per day for as long as it takes to help communities to recover from this global health crisis.
Community Mode: Community Mode allows anyone with a Bird account to report or provide feedback on vehicle-related issues such as poorly parked or damaged vehicles in their area. When a report is submitted, a member of the Bird team is assigned to correct the problem. Anyone can access Community Mode by tapping the yield sign on the bottom left of the Bird map.