Electric scooters are coming to Orono this summer
Orono will be the second Maine town to launch a fleet of electric scooters aimed at residents and college students as part of a new one-year pilot program.
Orono’s Town Council approved the partnership with Bird, a California-based company with scooters and bikes in hundreds of cities worldwide, during its meeting Monday. A company representative pitched the pilot to councilors last month.
People can begin using the scooters through the Bird app when they arrive this summer, which will likely be around the time that University of Maine students return to Orono, Town Manager Sophie Wilson said. A map in the app shows the nearest scooters, and riders 18 and older pay $1 to unlock them and 44 cents per minute during the ride.
The scooters offer users an alternative way to get around, though they cannot travel on sidewalks and routes will be limited. Participation in the program is free to the town. If the scooters are well-received, Orono could choose to follow neighboring Old Town’s direction and sign up for another year.
One of the council’s commitments is to bring the community together in creative ways, Geoffrey Wingard, council chairperson, said after Monday’s meeting.
“We want to use our infrastructure in as many new ways as possible,” he said. “To get people out of cars and connected across the community — I think it’s great.”
Scooters operate seasonally, depending on the weather. They are typically accessible for six to seven months during the year, Jeremy Lynch, a Bird senior account executive, told councilors last month.
An area fleet manager will track the scooters and issues that arise as well as place them in parts of town where they are most likely to be used. Only some scooters will be available while the others charge. They turn off when riders enter prohibited areas. There is no limit on how long riders can use the scooters, Bird spokesperson Lauren Scribi said.
The company offers a 50 percent discount for veterans, seniors, students with Pell Grants, employees of approved nonprofits and those on state and federal financial assistance, she said.
Part of Lynch’s proposal last month included Bird’s intention to better connect Old Town and Orono, particularly routes that could get UMaine students to key parking lots and bus stops near campus. The scooters cannot be used on campus because the university does not have an agreement with Bird.