Indio approves deal to bring Bird scooters to the city
Bird scooters are coming to the city of Indio.
On Wednesday, the city council approved a one-year pilot program with Bird. The program will see up to 300 scooters around the city.
The Bird scooter program is expected to launch in sometime in spring.
“We are excited to welcome Bird to the City of Indio,” said Indio Mayor Waymond Fermon. “Whether going to the Farmers Market downtown, seeing some of the city’s new sculptures, commuting to work or school, residents and visitors now have another fun, eco-friendly way to get around.”
According to the city, the program comes at no cost to the city. The program would end on March 2, 2023, unless otherwise extended. The City also has the right to end the agreement with 30 days notice.
“We applaud the City of Indio for their commitment to offering convenient, environmentally friendly and reliable transportation options to residents and visitors,” said Austin Marshburn, Head of City and University Partnerships at Bird.
Bird’s stand-up electric scooters are only allowed on streets, bike lanes and bike paths, and should be parked upright in the ‘furniture zone’ of the sidewalk, beside a bicycle rack or in another area specifically designated for bicycle parking.
Additional information about parking and riding in the City of Indio can be found here.
Residents can report safety concerns, complaints, or ask questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by contacting Bird Customer Support at hello@bird.co or via their support line at (866) 205-2442.
Scooters will be located throughout the city, with real-time locations visible in the free Bird app.
Indio becomes the second city in the Coachella Valley to approve the use of Bird e-scooters. In May 2021, the city of Coachella unveiled its Bird scooters.
Bird has tried to come to the valley before. In 2019, bird launched a surprise drop in Palm Springs. The city sent a cease and desist letter to the company, then piled up the scooters in a city yard after just one day on the streets.
The city of Palm Desert voted against electronic scooters in 2020 due to safety concerns.
