Cranbrook residents have a new way to zip around the community with the launch of the city’s new e-scooter pilot program.
Mayor Wayne Price said the e-scooters will diversify Cranbrook’s active transportation options.
“It’s an interesting concept and Bird Canada is here to provide another means of transportation and mobility in small centres,” said Price.
“We’ve been working on our active transportation plan for the last three years, and I think this certainly fits well.”
The program is part of the B.C. government’s Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Regulation and will run from June 3 to mid-November.
Bird Canada will manage Cranbrook’s scooter program, and the company said they brought nearly 100 to the community.
Each scooter has a maximum speed of 24 km/h with safety measures to prevent intoxicated riding, and can only be accessed by those 16 and older.
“They are all GPS tracked and our team who is taking care of the scooters are very quick on the take,” said Bird Canada Western Region Representative Tyler Zeck.
“We’ll do everything we can to get after any problems right away.”
The company will take ongoing feedback from the city and riders to continually improve and adapt over time.
Mayor Price is hopeful for the program.
“I think it’s going to catch on, just look at e-bikes in Cranbrook. People of all ages are using e-bikes now,” said Price.
“They’re everywhere now and I think this [e-scooter program] is a good follow-up.”
You can use the scooters to get almost anywhere within city limits, with a few exceptions, such as the skate park, as they come equipped with geo-fencing technology.
Residents can download the Bird app, sign up for an account and begin riding.
The scooters have a pay-per-use fee set at $1 to unlock the vehicle plus 35 cents per minute.
Daily, weekly, monthly and low-income pricing will come in the near future.
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