Bird Lands in Indianola, Starting July 12

INDIANOLA, IA – The City of Indianola is partnering with the Los Angeles, California-based, shared electric scooter company, Bird Rides, to bring e-scooters to the city next week. Just in time for Summer, Bird provides an alternative mode of transportation to get around town. The scooters are available through a mobile phone application and riders pay to use the scooter per minute.

“We are happy to welcome Bird to the City of Indianola and look forward to having the scooters available.They will be a great addition to our community” said Mayor Pam Pepper.

The company plans on offering scooters to residents and visitors to help reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion on roadways, as well as providing residents without vehicles another transportation option.

The electric scooters can be used on roads and in bike lanes and have a maximum speed of 15mph.Scooters must be parked out of the way of pedestrians and never blocking driveways. Riders are required to be 18 years-old and above to access the scooters. They are also encouraged to wear a helmet on every ride and required to obey all standard rules of the road.

“Scooters make for a low-cost transportation alternative to get around Indianola and having more transportation options is a benefit to the city” commented Parks and Recreation Director Doug Bylund.

Bird offers the following programs that are available for all who qualify:

• Community Pricing - Bird’s Community Pricing Program offers a 50% discount to low-income riders, Pell grant recipients, select local nonprofit and community organizations, veterans, and senior citizens. It’s designed to be the most inclusive micromobility discount program available anywhere. To sign up for the Community Pricing Program, download the Bird app, create an account, and email your proof of eligibility to access@bird.co.
• Free Rides for Healthcare Workers and Emergency Personnel - Bird is proud to offer free rides to healthcare workers and emergency personnel. To sign up, simply email a copy of your medical identification card along with your name and phone number to together@bird.co. Eligible riders will receive two free 30-minute rides per day for as long as it takes to help our communities to recover from this global health crisis.
• Community Mode - Community Mode allows anyone with a Bird account to report or provide feedback on vehicle-related issues such as poorly parked or damaged vehicles in their area. When a report is submitted, a member of the Bird team is assigned to correct the issue. Anyone can access Community Mode by tapping the yield sign on the bottom left of the Bird map.

About the City of Indianola

Indianola is a city in Warren County, Iowa, south of downtown Des Moines. The City of Indianola serves more than 15,000 residents and numerous visitors who come to explore Indianola’s vibrant downtown, restaurants, shops, parks, cultural attractions — such as the Des Moines Metropolitan Opera — and events, including the National Balloon Classic and the Warren County Fair.To learn more about the City of Indianola, click here.