Electric Scooter, Bike Sharing Service Launches In Annapolis

ANNAPOLIS, MD — There's a new way to get around Annapolis. Bird, an electric scooter and bike-sharing service, launched in the state capital last week.

Riders can use Bird's smartphone application to access the scooters and bicycles located downtown. The users scan a QR code on each vehicle to unlock it and start riding.

The scooters and bikes are concentrated on Main Street and West Street.

After breezing around the city, residents park their ride on the sidewalk and end their session on the app. Bird will bill the payment method on file. Most trips cost a few dollars.

Interested users can download the app here and learn about options for those with low-income at this link.

This will offer an alternative transit method for visitors while the Noah Hillman Garage is demolished and reconstructed. Check out Patch's latest story for an update on the project and the other parking options during the interim.

RELATED: Noah Hillman Garage In Downtown Annapolis Closes

Bird already serves more than 350 communities worldwide, including Montgomery County and Washington, D.C. A full list of all Bird towns is posted here.

Each vehicle can last 18 months and avoid 1,500 pounds of carbon emissions annually, the business said on its website.

"Each shared Bird Bike is equipped with a high-powered motor capable of helping riders coast up hills with as much as a 20% grade without breaking a sweat," Bird said in a press release. "They also include other great features such as advanced onboard diagnostics and geospeed technology for safe and efficient bikeshare operations."

The latest scooter in Maryland is called the Bird Three. The company said this is the world’s most environmentally friendly shared electric scooter.

"The Bird Three is the culmination of four years of experience working in partnership with cities, like Annapolis, to create accessible eco-friendly transportation options and to reduce reliance on gas-powered vehicles and the congestion they create," Bird said.

The business also said each scooter comes with:

• Bird’s Visual Parking System Powered by Google: Bird VPS is a new technology powered by Google’s ARCore Geospatial API ... and will enable Bird to geo-localize parked scooters with pinpoint accuracy. A first-of-its-kind parking solution, Bird VPS aims to address the industry’s top challenge – parking – in a scalable, efficient and vandalism-immune way that requires zero infrastructure within a community.
• Eco-Conscious & Industry-leading Battery Management System (BMS): Bird is the first and only operator using IP68-rated battery cell packs for their e-scooters. Using the best technology the market has to offer, their BMS enables the company to monitor and take rapid action in cases of safety or sustainability issues like battery failures. In addition, the eco-conscious battery system has a battery capacity of up to 1kWH, requiring less frequent charging than many other shared scooters.
• Pneumatic Tires: Recent testing demonstrates that Bird Three scooters’ pneumatic tires are safer and perform better across a wider variety of street surfaces and temperatures than solid tires with shocks, reducing vibrations by 33%.
• Extended Footboard: The newest B3 scooters are designed with 25” footboards — longer than any other shared scooter in operation — to maximize comfort and stability for our riders.

Head to bird.co to learn more about the app.

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