A potential agreement between the city and the scooter company, Bird Rides, Inc. was discussed at this week's Manistee City Council work session, however, no decisions can be made during those sessions.
An email exchange between city manager Bill Gambill and Bird account executive Garret Gronowski prior to the meeting showed that Gambill asked for a 25 cent sharing exchange per activation. Bird scooters mostly operate as rentals and have an activation fee — they are locked before a person pays — as well as a per-mile ride fee.
Gronowski replied that "for a community of Manistee's size I could get the approval of (10 cents) per ride."
Bird's electric scooters are capped at a speed of 15 miles an hour. They use sensors and data as well in determining the hot spots or most popular areas where they are ridden.
A user pays via credit card on an app-based system before they are unlocked; there is an additional per-minute fee.
The scooters have the ability to go relatively far but are most often not used that way, according Gambill.
He told the council during Tuesday's discussion that "I think they can go 20 miles on a charge. But I think people usually use them for a mile or two miles."
Gambill also noted that there is an ability, because of the technology, to restrict the locations of where the scooters can be parked or operated.
"There is an ability to geofence certain areas so that they can't go down to the Riverwalk. The way the technology at play works, they could section off areas where you don't want them so (people) can't ride them ... and things like that," Gambill said.
Gambill also noted that the city he previously worked for — St. Clair Shores — had Bird scooters.
Bird scooters have been the center of controversy in cities across the globe, from reports of head injuries to e-scooters being dropped off in without residents' or public officials' knowledge.
Gambill acknowledged those issues but said that both the scooter companies' behavior as well as the technology inside the electronic scooters has progressed in positive ways over the past few years.
"Technology's come a long way and they started this way of going about (things) where they actually asked the city to go into a contract with them," Gambill said.
He noted that e-scooter companies like Bird were dropping them off and leaving them for public officials to deal with the fallout.
"....And then the city would have to determine how to manage them as they were put in the wrong spot," he said, adding that is no longer the case. "So (Bird) hires a local person to rebalance the scooters when needed, there's a (phone) number and email (contact) so I think it's come a long way."
Others at the meeting noted there were problems early on but that they were solved relatively quickly.
Zachary Sompels, a planner for Manistee County, noted that when he was in college at Michigan State University, they had Bird scooters. He spoke about his experience.
"I was actually there when they launched some Bird scooters there. And initially, it was a huge nightmare. The scooters were all over ... so much with college kids ... so (there were) huge issues. They worked out a the contract within two weeks."
He noted the contract between MSU and Bird stipulated a user agreement that said the students had to bring back the bikes to a designated area by a certain time or they'd be fined. They were fined by the minute, Sompels said.
Gambill also said that ultimately the person riding the scooter would be held responsible for injuries, misuse or other violations but there would be no laws to stop a person from suing to hold the city liable, even if the rider is technically liable.
He stated that if the program were to move forward, Bird would hire someone locally to recharge the scooters and maintain them.
Gambill told the council that were would be about 50 e-scooters but only 30 would available at any given time, in order to recharge and change out the scooters as necessary.
He said the e-scooters use sensors for data and the city could decide where they should be parked based on where they are most popular and where it makes sense for them to be used.
What the scooters cost can be determined by the city.
The News Advocate's sister publication, the Pioneer in Big Rapids, reported that "An average 15-20 minute ride will cost users between $5-7. It costs $1 to use the scooter and then users are charged an additional per-minute fee of around 39 cents in Big Rapids. The per-minute fee is determined based on city-specific criteria, according to a Bird spokesperson."
Smaller cities like Big Rapids have had successes and problems with the Bird e-scooters that they have there. Big Rapids residents gave mixed reactions on the roll out of the scooters.
“I think they’re an awesome addition to the community,” Aubrey Scott told the Pioneer. “People will always misuse [scooters] and make everyone else look bad, but for the responsible ones who take care of them, they’re super fun and they add something new and exciting to the town.”
The Pioneer reported that Bird had instituted regulations, that include mandatory safety training, a "helmet reward program" and an ID that would need to be submitted to the app upon unlocking the bike. The scooters are restricted to people 18 and up. However, there's nothing that would 100% prevent people from breaking the rules.
“I think they are fine, but earlier (this week) I saw four small children on them that couldn't have been more than 9 or 10 years old with no adult supervision, trying to cross Maple Street by the bridge,” Sue Ketchum told the Big Rapids newspaper in 2021. “I also have had to move one from the middle of Michigan (Avenue) because someone just dropped it there. If they are used by responsible people in the manner they are intended they would be great.”
For the most part, the council was supportive of the idea of the e-scooters in Manistee.
Council Member Erin Martin Pontiac said the timing was appropriate for the e-scooters, given the ever-increasing price of gas.
"I was thinking about buying one myself," Council Member Mick Szymanski joked.
A copy of the March 8 Manistee City Council work session agenda, which includes more information from Bird, can be found at manisteemi.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4662.
A recording of the council work session can be viewed at https://manisteetv.com/.
"bird" - Google News
March 10, 2022 at 03:58AM
https://ift.tt/mabN2RT
Oh my Bird! Scooters may be coming to Manistee - Manistee News Advocate
"bird" - Google News
https://ift.tt/8fBJkGg
https://ift.tt/PFXtRGf
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Oh my Bird! Scooters may be coming to Manistee - Manistee News Advocate"
Post a Comment