The deployment of the e-scooters is part of a one-year shared e-scooter pilot approved by the city
Bird Canada has announced that its shared e-scooters are now available for use in Windsor, Ontario.
The municipality selected Bird as the exclusive provider of e-scooters and e-bikes. The company will be placing up to 500 Bird Two e-scooters by the Riverfront Pathway, Prince Road, Tecumseh Road and Drouillard Road.
“As the exclusive provider of e-scooters to the City of Windsor for the duration of this pilot, we have a great opportunity to showcase our unique differentiators to the rest of Canada,” said Bird CEO Steward Lyons in a statement.
“From the way we operate to our focus on rider safety and scooting etiquette for the benefit of all residents and visitors, Bird Canada is the top choice for e-scooter deployments in other cities around the country.”
To use the scooters, riders need to download the Bird smartphone app. Through the app, riders can find the most conveniently located e-scooter. New riders are given an in-app tutorial on how to ride the e-scooters. Riders can also request a helmet through the app.
Bird notes that it will be deploying its e-bikes in the city later in the season.
The launch in Windsor comes as Toronto city staff have recommended against the city joining the provincial e-scooter pilot, as “accessibility barriers, safety concerns and insurance issues remain unresolved for privately owned and rental e-scooters.”
Only a handful of cities across the country have allowed e-scooters on public roads. Last year, Montreal banned Lime and Bird e-scooters, mainly because they weren’t being parked correctly.