Representative Of Bird Rides Speaks To Municipal Services Committee – Asks To Continue E-Scooter Program In Appleton, Provides Information On New Virtual Docking Ports

The Municipal Services Committee met 05/06/2024. As an information item, they met with a representative of the company that manages the Bird Scooters. Adam Davis, the Principal Government Partnerships Manager at Bird appeared before the committee and told them Bird hoped to remain in partnership with Appleton and continue offering the scooters.

He talked about the possibility of implementing virtual scooter docks for parking, so that instead of allowing the scooters to be dropped off anywhere, they now had to be parked in a specific area. He said that after such measure were implemented in Reno, Nevada, that city now had 100% parking compliance of the scooters.

Alderperson Sheri Hartzheim (District 13) noted that parking issues were not the only concerns about the scooters. There were also concerns about bar-goers injuring themselves on the scooters. Additionally, Bird recently emerged from bankruptcy and had not paid the city on time last year due to the bankruptcy. “[H]ow are we to trust that this is going to continue to be something that we don’t, as a city, have to worry about when it’s really supposed to be a free service? It’s not working out that way for us. I mean, we’re even spending all this time discussing it.”

Mr. Davis did not offer any concrete solution to bad behavior, but did say it was possible to ban people from the Bird platform. “And, you know, we haven’t gotten it right every time, but dang, we’re trying because there has to be other options than just automobiles in our cities.”

He provided the committee with a PDF slide deck on their new virtual docking port system [which I will post once the meeting minutes become available], and the committee did not sound opposed to receiving a follow-up presentation. However, negotiations between the city and Bird are currently not taking place based on direction from the Municipal Services Committee given at the 04/08/2024 committee meeting. Director of Public Works Danielle Block indicated to the committee that if they wanted staff to reopen negotiations with Bird then staff would do that.

I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:

[I thought the Bird representative came across as very desperate sounding, and the entire Bird concept seems increasingly parasitic in nature. It seems to me that the only reason Bird ever needed to partner with the city was because the scooters were dockless and could be left anywhere. Now that Bird is moving to a virtual docking system, it ought to be able to purchase or lease land throughout the city and set up various virtual docking sites on private land. Instead, it’s still trying to get governments to provide support for its business model.

Bird ought to be able to stand on its own without government support, and to continue to try to wrangle the city into supporting this private business just seems to be asking the city to show favoritism to one specific private company and comes across as nothing more than crony capitalism.

Additionally, I don’t even understand what the benefit of the scooters is anymore if they’re not dockless. The whole scheme was sold as providing people the ability to pick a scooter up, ride it anywhere, and then leave it at your destination. It was supposed to help people travel that “last mile” between the bus stop and their destination. But, now that concept no longer applies because the scooters will have to be dropped off at specific locations that may or may not be close to a person’s final destination.”]

View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1195284&GUID=9DE6D2DB-CDCC-463F-941F-56626D9A070F