A man rides an electronic scooter. | Surprising_Shots/Pixabay
A man rides an electronic scooter. | Surprising_Shots/Pixabay
The Reno City Council approved a new agreement between Bird and the city April 13 to establish an electric scooter share program in the downtown and midtown areas.
The council announced in a recent press release that they had met and approved an Exclusive Franchise Agreement between Bird and the city of Reno for an e-scooter share project to improve infrastructure, climate change, and environmental sustainability.
“Bird is honored to partner with the city of Reno to launch our eco-friendly scooter program for residents and visitors,” said Brian Buccella, senior vice president of Global Policy, according to the release. “We are committed to working with the community to increase transportation access to all residents as well as helping the city meet their sustainability goals.”
Bird riders saved an estimated 1.1 million gallons of gas in 2021, which aligns with the city of Reno's sustainability goals, including improving air quality, reducing vehicle emissions and traffic congestion, the release stated.
Under the new agreement, the three-year contract includes a 90-day notice for termination for any reason, and the initial size of the fleet will be around 250 e-scooters, according to the release. More scooters will be added over the course of about a month, with the entire fleet becoming available in June.
Bird is responsible for fleet management, including vehicle relocation, removal, and loading, according to the release.