On May 17, the Manistee City Council agreed to a contract with Bird Rides Inc. that would bring 50 electric scooters to Manistee until the end of the year.
MANISTEE — Electric scooters will be coming to Manistee sometime within the next month.
On May 17, the Manistee City Council signed an agreement with Bird Rides Inc. for their Bird Electric Scooters to come to Manistee as part of a pilot program that will expire in December.
Cities of similar size have experimented with the scooters including Big Rapids last year.
There will be around 50 scooters coming to the city. Here are some of the things that Manistee residents should know about electric scooters.
Bird Rides, Inc. is a Santa Monica, California-based company that also operates a fleet of e-scooters in Detroit. However, it’s not the only shared electric scooter company out there. Others you might have heard of include companies like Lime, Spin and Razor.
Bird e-scooters have their own unique features, such as "warm-up mode," which gently accelerates the scooter up to speed, allowing the rider to become comfortable before going faster.
Another unique feature is the “quick start” option, which is for experienced riders, that automatically detects when a Bird scooter is in range and offers riders the opportunity to unlock it with the tap of a button.
In addition, Bird has a “helmet selfie” program that rewards the rider for wearing a helmet. If they submit a picture of themselves wearing a helmet, they receive a credit for their next ride.
There is no upfront cost or investment to have the e-scooters operate in the city, since Bird will profit from them being here. Bird only required a memorandum of understanding from the city.
The e-scooters are meant to act as a complementary option of transportation, to supplement current options in Manistee. They are likely to only be used for short distances and cannot be used near the Riverwalk or any pier, according to Manistee City Manager Gambill.
If after December, the scooter fleet is not working out or isn't being used, Bird can remove the fleet from the city.
To hire an e-scooter, you will have to download the Bird app via a smartphone and create an account. Each e-scooter contains a URL code that can be scanned by the phone’s camera within the app to unlock it.
Once unlocked and paid for, the ride can begin. Riders begin by kick-starting the e-scooter to get it moving. Once at a minimum speed, the electric motor engages to power the e-scooter forward. There is also a manual brake for users.
Ending the ride is as simple as tapping a button in the app and snapping a picture of the parked scooter.
Users must be 18 or older to operate a Bird e-scooter. The app will ask users to submit a photo of their ID. It can also be a great alternative to biking for someone who has knee pain, is wearing high heels and/or is wearing a dress.
It costs $1 plus a per-minute fee which averages around $7 a ride, according to information from Bird Rides Inc.
Using a geofencing technology, Bird can program where the scooters can and can’t travel. They are intended to be used on streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less.
The city of Manistee adopted an ordinance that will not allow rides on sidewalks and will apply all the rules and regulations of the Michigan Vehicle Code.
Within the next 30 day, according to city manager Gambill.
Bird is looking to partner with local individuals and organizations to maintain the fleet of scooters in what it calls its “Fleet Manager program.” The chosen individuals will be provided the data-backed education necessary to manage the fleet successfully.
Studies have shown that e-scooters have the same incident rate as bikes. So, they are about as safe as bicycles. Helmets are encouraged and Bird will give a ride credit to users who snap a “helmet selfie” on the app.
The location of the scooter parking stations, or “staging locations” within Manistee, has yet to be determined but the city “will work with Bird on initial placement, future placement will be based on usage data,” Gambill said.
The scooters are capped at 15 mph, which is well under the 25 mph maximum that Michigan Vehicle Code permits for such scooters. They can legally be driven on streets that are marked with speed limits of 35 mph or less.
Bird e-scooters can go about 30 miles on one charge, which is far more than an average trip.
The scooters will be available until the end of the year. The city council agreement with Bird Rides Inc. is a trial/pilot program. The council will have to sign a new agreement if they want to have them next year.
There’s an electronic lock inside each scooter that can be activated by a user. When activated, no other user can operate the scooter. In addition, a GPS sensor will create a notification if someone tries to move a locked scooter.
A rider can drop off a scooter wherever they reach their destination.
When a Bird rider is done, they must snap a picture of their scooter to prove they have parked it appropriately. Those photos can be audited regularly to ensure proper parking and provide further community education if needed.
Data that has been collected in other cities, has shown that one person can effectively manage a fleet of 100 scooters, according to Bird spokesperson Michael Covato.
There is also a way for residents to report a concern if they see a scooter presenting a nuisance, through email, phone or social media.
Riders of e-scooters must follow the requirements of the Michigan Vehicle Code that pertains to electric personal assistive mobility devices. This code requires that riders use them similarly to how someone would use a bicycle on a street or sidewalk. They can be operated at a speed of not more than 15 mph and can only be operated on streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. They must be ridden on the furthest right portion of a travel lane and must utilize an on-street bike lane if one is available.
In addition, the city of Manistee plans to add its own ordinance — Ordinance 22-02 adding Chapter 470 – Electric Mobility Devices and Shared Mobility Devices to the City of Manistee Codified Ordinances.