The Greenwood City Council will consider entering into a contract with an electric scooter company at Tuesday’s meeting.
A discussion will be held with representatives from Bird, a micromobility company based in Santa Monica, California. A memorandum of understanding will also be presented for the council’s consideration.
Mayor Carolyn McAdams said the scooters could be an enjoyable addition to Greenwood.
She said the company reached out to her a few months ago about a possible relationship. She was convinced of scooters’ usefulness during her visit to Washington last month.
“(Bird’s) presence is all over the city of Washington, which is a huge place,” she said. “I watched closely and observed how people used them and how people used them to get from point A to point B or downtown or to their office, and then you just leave (the scooters).”
Bird scooters are activated through a phone app, which allows the user to provide payment. Riders are charged per minute and can drop off the scooter at their destination or at a designated parking area.
McAdams said two city employees would be responsible for collecting scooters so they can be recharged. The contract would come at no cost to the city. “They come here and do a mapping of the city where we can see where they should be placed,” she said. “They only go 15 miles per hour, so it’s no big issue there with speeding. They’re small little scooters, like a platform and a handle bar.”
She said Ward 1’s Johnny Jennings and Ward 4’s Charles McCoy tested the scooters during the Washington trip and were impressed.
The memorandum of understanding would allow scooters to be rented between 4 a.m. and midnight by people 18 years of age and older.
McAdams said the scooters could provide an interesting public transportation option that young people would enjoy. “I think it’s a fantastic opportunity,” she said.
- Contact Kevin Edwards at 662-581-7233 or kedwa-rds@gwcommonwealth.com.
