Bird E-Scooters are on Campus!

Bird e-scooters have just arrived on campus and in the City of Lexington, following a brief delay to finalize permit agreements. This company’s e-scooters are now deployed at bike racks throughout campus and are available for quick trips.

 

Bird was chosen as the university’s preferred e-scooter vendor, which means the company will deploy and rebalance e-scooters on campus to make them accessible to the community. The e-scooters are also an option on the menu of benefits available to eligible UK Commute Club members. 

 

Bird provides a natural way to support physical distancing as riders across the U.S. are Birding again for their essential trips. Learn more about Bird’s sanitation measures here.

 

In addition, Bird’s  Warm Up mode is now available and great for new riders or those who just want to cruise. This feature offers a gentle acceleration option that helps riders feel comfortable and build confidence. 

 

"E-scooters are a fun way to get around, and we’re happy to diversify the repertoire of physically distant transportation options to help get students, employees, and visitors to, from, and around campus," said Sandra Broadus, UK Transportation Services' alternative transportation manager.

 

E-scooters first launched in Lexington in October 2019, and have been immensely popular for serving transportation needs, with 45% of all trips city-wide ending on UK’s campus. Now that Bird has arrived, it’s important that riders follow proper social etiquette and show consideration for others. As a reminder, below are some tips and requirements that you need to know in order to use the e-scooters on campus:

• E-scooters on campus must be parked at bike racks. Don’t leave the scooter in the middle of a sidewalk or block a public pathway.
• E-scooters are not allowed inside buildings on UK’s campus.
• E-scooters are permitted to ride on sidewalks on campus, but they are not permitted on sidewalks off campus. 
• Always yield to pedestrians and be courteous. This could include dismounting during class changes or other periods of high congestion.
• E-scooters are permitted in bike lanes and must follow the rules of the road like any other vehicle.
• Don’t double ride! While it’s fun to flock with friends, make sure you’re riding solo, and keep physically distanced from others.
• Stay alert and save the selfies and music until after the ride.
• Helmets are highly recommended while riding an e-scooter.

A good general rule is to operate and park e-scooters as you would a bicycle. Like other shared mobility services, Bird e-scooters can be ridden by downloading the Bird app and creating an account with your @uky.edu email address.