Bird and WeGo Public Transit Form Nashville's First Private-Public Partnership Focused on Expanding Access to E-Scooters
Program Aims to Close Transit Gaps with Eco-Friendly Micro-Electric Vehicles and Drive Further Public Transit Adoption
LOS ANGELES & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bird Global, Inc. (NYSE:BRDS), a leader in environmentally friendly electric transportation and WeGo Public Transit, Nashville’s public transit agency, today announced a pilot program in which the two entities will team up to bridge first- and last-mile transit gaps with Bird’s eco-friendly micro-electric scooters.
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Bird and WeGo Public Transit Form Nashville's First Private-Public Partnership Focused on Expanding Access to E-Scooters (Photo: Business Wire)
Transit gaps in communities represent barriers to public transit access for workers and students as well as medical personnel and other essential workers. These barriers can result in an overreliance on gas-powered cars that dirty the air and clog streets. Through this innovative collaboration, Bird and WeGo aim to improve residents’ access to eco-friendly transit alternatives and increase adoption of public transportation in the city.
By pairing WeGo’s expertise, insights and data about transit usage patterns with Bird’s operational data and experience, the two organizations are creating a program that addresses specific transit gaps in the community. Through the program, individuals traveling to or from locations such as Nolensville Pike, Gallatin Pike and Murfreesboro Pike will have consistent and reliable access to Bird scooters to reach their final destination – last mile journeys often previously taken by car.
“Mode shift on a massive scale requires partnerships and collaborations across companies such as Bird and public organizations like WeGo,” said Brian Buccella, Senior Vice President of Consumer Products and Government Partnerships at Bird. “Together, we can go further and have an even greater impact on providing people with a clean, safe alternative to transportation options that result in tailpipe emissions. We look forward to seeing the results of our collaboration with WeGo and applaud the city’s commitment to eco-friendly transportation alternatives that complement their existing transit networks.”
This partnership highlights Bird’s commitment to working with cities to provide bespoke programs to fit their unique needs. Since launching in Nashville in the spring of 2018, Bird has remained focused on partnering with the city to provide the best possible service for its nearly 700,000 residents and hundreds of thousands of annual visitors. In 2021, Bird riders in Nashville helped contribute an estimated $750,000 in positive economic impact to local businesses to aid with economic recovery. That same year, Bird also saw an increase in female ridership in the city.
About Bird
Bird is an electric vehicle company dedicated to bringing affordable, environmentally friendly transportation solutions such as e-scooters and e-bikes to communities across the world. Founded in 2017 by transportation pioneer Travis VanderZanden, Bird is rapidly expanding. Today, it provides fleets of shared micro electric vehicles to riders in more than 350 cities globally and makes its products available for purchase at www.bird.co and via leading retailers and distribution partners. Bird partners closely with the cities in which it operates to provide a reliable and affordable transportation option for people who live and work there.
About WeGo Public Transit
The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (Nashville MTA) and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) are operating bodies of WeGo Public Transit, which serves 26 local bus routes, nine regional bus routes, and one train serving Davidson and Wilson Counties. Visit WeGoTransit.com.
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Investor
Caitlin Churchill
investor@bird.co
Media
Rebecca Hahn
press@bird.co
Source: Bird Global, Inc.
Released February 2, 2022