WINONA, Minn. – The California e-scooter rental company Bird has proposed a fleet of electric scooters for Winona, City Manager Steve Sarvi said. The scooters, activated with a cellphone app, would average about $5 a ride. Sarvi said in a radio station KWNO interview that Bird would like an ordinance from the City Council to regulate the safe operation of scooters. Sarvi said he would sound out the Council on the proposal. There would be no cost to the city. A Bird franchisee would have a local fleet manager. The scooters would be located around town. Subscribers could use an app to find the nearest available scooters, hop on, and scoot to wherever. The charge: $1 to unlock and 10 to 35 cents a minute.
Bird profile
Bird calls itself a micro-mobility transportation company. It was founded in 2017 in Sant Monica, California, by former Uber and Lyft executive Travis Vander Zanden. Within a year the company had a $2 billion valuation. The company issues local franchises. In a recent Minnesota expansion, Bird established franchises in Golden Valley, Marshall, Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Paul.
Bird in 50 U.S. cities. The Bird Zero model, introduced in 2018, has an extended range, firmer suspension, airless tires, a stronger motor and a more durable body.
