UNC Greensboro and the City of Greensboro have individually partnered with Bird, a leader in environmentally friendly electric transportation. Through the partnerships, shared e-scooters and e-bikes are now available to UNCG students and city residents. The eco-friendly, affordable transportation option can be activated through Bird’s free mobile phone application and used to replace gas-powered car travel.
“Spartans are environmentally conscious, and with Bird’s e-scooters and bikes, UNCG can now provide convenient, eco-friendly transportation on designated streets through our beautiful campus and into Downtown Greensboro,” says Grant Harris, transportation and event manager at UNCG. “With nearly half of our undergraduate students being Pell eligible, Bird’s community pricing for e-scooters and bikes provides our students with another cost-efficient mode of transportation in addition to University buses.”
UNCG faculty, staff, and alumni are also eligible for a 25% discount from Bird. The e-bikes and e-scooters are now available at UNCG and in the city of Greensboro. UNCG affiliated individuals must sign up with their uncg.edu email address.
For user safety, helmets are required when using a Bird e-scooter and e-bike. To encourage proper use of the e-bikes and e-scooters, they will operate in designated areas within the City of Greensboro and UNCG. On UNCG’s campus, users are required to use designated parking areas when their ride is complete. Citizens can report issues, from maintenance to improper parking, directly through the Bird app.
“The City of Greensboro is committed to providing residents safe, seamless and equitable transportation choices. Shared-used scooters and bikes give residents more options to get to work, school, and play. This partnership with Bird is just one more way we are making Greensboro a car-optional city,” said Greensboro Transportation Director Hanna Cockburn.
Bird aims to make cities more livable by reducing car trips, traffic and carbon emissions. The company’s scooters, developed by an in-house team of leading engineering and vehicle design experts, offer residents without cars another transportation option.
“We applaud the City of Greensboro and UNC Greensboro for their commitment to offering convenient, environmentally friendly and reliable transportation options to residents and visitors,” said Austin Marshburn, head of city and university partnerships at Bird.
A parking and no ride zone map is available here.
Bird is proud to offer a number of features and benefits to riders in Greensboro. Some of which include:
- Community Pricing: Bird’s inclusive Community Pricing Program offers a 50% discount to low-income riders, Pell grant recipients, select local nonprofit and community organizations, veterans and senior citizens. Those who qualify can sign up by downloading the Bird app, creating an account and emailing proof of eligibility to access@bird.co.
- Community Mode: Bird values community input. Anyone with a Bird account can report or provide feedback on vehicle-related issues such as poorly parked or damaged vehicles in their area by tapping the yield sign on the bottom left of the in-app Bird map. When a report is submitted, someone is assigned to correct the issue.
Story by University Communications Staff
