The Town of Matthews and Bird, a leader in environmentally-friendly electric transportation, are teaming up to bring shared e-scooters to Matthews. Fifty e-scooters will be available for use in Matthews on July 1.
“Matthews is joining a global community of more than 350 cities who have chosen to offer residents and visitors a new, environmentally friendly way to explore their area,” said Mayor John Higdon. “We believe Bird can help meet the community’s needs and help support the Town’s vision for a well-planned, multi-modal transportation system.”
Mayor Pro-Tem Ken McCool will be taking the first Bird e-scooter ride in Matthews on Friday, July 1 at 10:00 am at the Matthews Town Green (located in front of Matthews Town Hall, 232 Matthews Station Street).
The eco-friendly transportation option can be activated through Bird’s free mobile phone application and used to replace gas-powered car trips. Bird aims to make cities more livable by reducing car trips, traffic and carbon emissions.
To help keep Matthews safe and accessible for everyone, riders are asked to follow these guidelines when riding e-scooters in Matthews:
- Be mindful of pedestrians and other riders.
- One rider per scooter.
- Wear a helmet.
- Sidewalk riding is permitted in Matthews, but please be mindful of pedestrians and ride responsibly.
- You must be 18 or older to ride.
- Bird e-scooters are calibrated to go no faster than 15 mph to maintain a safe speed.
- Park e-scooters responsibly and at bike racks where possible. Do not block doorways, ramps, sidewalks or right of way.
A geofence, or virtual perimeter, is in place so that Bird e-scooters will not operate in a two-block radius on Trade Street from Charles Street to E. Matthews Street due to high pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Bird is proud to offer a number of features and benefits to riders in Matthews. Some of which include:
Community Pricing: Bird’s inclusive Community Pricing Program offers a 50% discount to low-income 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: To recognize the individuals whose work continues to be so crucial to the health and safety of our communities, 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.
Community Mode: Bird values community input. Anyone with a Bird account 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.
Questions? Email Bird directly at matthews311@bird.co
Source: https://www.matthewsnc.gov/newsview.aspx?nid=6747
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