Bird News

Can Electric Scooters Become a Safer Way to Travel?

At first, it seemed as though nothing could go wrong. Dockless shared electric scooters began showing up on the streets of the world’s cities in 2017, and the vanguard — techies, baristas, twentysomething daredevils — hopped on and rode, confident …

Scooter Companies Pull Out of Cities Worldwide Amid Pandemic

Dockless scooter companies charged into cities in 2018, promising a mobility revolution with cheap, clean rides and billions in venture capital backing. Yet they soon faced roadblocks, including shaky business models, safety concerns, and fast-moving city regulators. At the start …

Bike-Sharing Company Wheels Offers Shareable Helmet to Cut Injuries

DETROIT — Electric bike-sharing startup Wheels said on Tuesday it will begin offering its riders shareable helmets in response to concerns about injuries. Beginning in Los Angeles, Wheels will mount helmets on the rear fenders of its bikes that can …

Tucson Presses for Fixes to Residents’ Gripes About Scooters

TUCSON, Ariz. — Tucson officials are calling on the two e-scooter companies operating in the city to fix problems reported by neighborhood groups. There have been complaints about scooters blocking sidewalks and alleys amid a lack of enforcement since the …

San Diego Duo Takes on Electric Scooter Industry

SAN DIEGO — Two men in San Diego have impounded thousands of electric scooters they say have been left littered about the city and endangering pedestrians, sparking a battle with companies that have flooded cities with the two-wheelers. John Heinkel, …

State Lawmakers Embrace Electric Scooters Even as Statistics Track Increasing Injuries

Kentucky state Rep. Ken Upchurch says he doubts he will ever see an electric scooter in his rural district on the state’s southern border, but he was happy to help when a lobbyist for Bird Rides Inc. asked him to …

While E-Scooter Injuries Pile Up, Waivers Make it Hard to Sue

Over the past few years, cities across America have experienced sudden downpours of shared electric scooters, piling up almost overnight on curbs, sidewalks and front yards from Atlanta to Los Angeles. The phenomenon has quickly built billion-dollar startups, a new …

Ride-Sharing Firms, Manufacturers Trade Blame Over Flaming Scooters

Segway Ninebot, the primary manufacturer of shared electric scooters, is hitting back three days after one of the biggest scooter-sharing companies said manufacturing issues had led some vehicles to smolder or even catch fire. In a statement on Friday, the …