E-Scooters back for a second year

Medicine Hat – Alberta-based company, Bird Canada, will launch the second year of its shared electric scooter (e-scooter) pilot program next week.

The launch will be gradual as they keep an eye on the weather conditions.

Last year the City worked in collaboration with Bird Canada to ensure that community safety requirements and high operating standards were carefully considered. 

As per the local guidelines, individuals who want to ride the e-scooters must be 16 years or older and it is highly recommended that they wear helmets. The maximum speed limit of the e-scooters is set at 20 km/h, while in certain high-traffic areas, the speed is automatically reduced to 10-15 km/h.

“We are thrilled to announce the return of the E-Scooter program for its second year”, says Scott Richter, business and innovation manager, Parks and Recreation, City of Medicine Hat. “We received lots of positive public feedback during the first year and saw substantial uptake of the e-scooters. As we move into the 2023 program with Bird Canada, we are eager to explore how e-scooters can continually be integrated into Medicine Hat’s micro mobility landscape.”

How to use Bird Canada E-scooters

• To use the e-scooters, riders must download the Bird smartphone app.
• Through the app, riders can locate the most conveniently located Bird e-scooter and ride directly to their desired destination.
• New riders are provided an in-app tutorial on how to properly use Bird e-scooters and how to park it in compliance with local rules.
• Riders can start a trip by scanning the QR code located on the e-scooter. The cost to ride is $1.15 to unlock and $0.35 per minute.
• Riders can request a free helmet be sent to them through the app.
• Riders are requested to park Bird e-scooters out of the public right of way, in line with benches, trees, and bike racks without blocking pedestrian travel.

While the City of Medicine Hat is providing the program framework, Bird Canada is funding and operating the pilot. 

If riders have any questions or concerns regarding the service, they can reach out directly to Bird Canada by email at hello@bird.co or by phone 1-866-205-2442.

Learn more about the City of Medicine Hat rules and regulations on the E-Scooter Program page. 

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About Bird Canada
Powered by Bird, Bird Canada Inc. operates an electric vehicle sharing program. Bird Canada is a Canadian-owned and operated company that offers Canadians, and visitors to Canada, a new way to avoid congestion and get around that is sustainable and uses the latest and most innovative last-mile mobility solutions for urban areas. For additional information, visit BirdCanada.ca, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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media@medicinehat.ca