Skip to main content

Bird enables reports of poorly parked and damaged e-scooters

Bird is to roll out an app feature which allows people to report poorly parked or damaged electric scooters to the company. It is an attempt to solve one of the biggest bugbears surrounding the deployment of scooters and dockless bikes – the issue of what happens when users abandon or abuse the vehicles. Bird says the app’s new ‘community mode’ will improve parking and safety in the cities where it operates, such as Portland and Salt Lake City. The company will use reports to reposition poorly parked e-
November 15, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Bird is to roll out an app feature which allows people to report poorly parked or damaged electric scooters to the company.


It is an attempt to solve one of the biggest bugbears surrounding the deployment of scooters and dockless bikes – the issue of what happens when users abandon or abuse the vehicles.

Bird says the app’s new ‘community mode’ will improve parking and safety in the cities where it operates, such as Portland and Salt Lake City.

The company will use reports to reposition poorly parked e-scooters and make sure damaged models are no longer available for riding. Also, the company will notify mechanics to remove the damaged vehicles from the road to be repaired.

Travis VanderZanden, CEO of Bird, says the company wants to work with communities to help alleviate problems associated with congestion and carbon emissions.

"Community mode gives any individual the power to engage with Bird in real time so that we can work together on making our streets safer and people-friendly,” VanderZanden adds.

Bird has already established a global %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 4 36382 0 link-external safety advisory board false /categories/utc/news/bird-establishes-board-to-help-increase-safety-for-e-scooter-riders/ false false%> to improve safety for its e-scooter riders.

In the UK, a similar issue has emerged in London. Speaking to ITS International, Adam Warnes, vice president of UK operations at Passport, says the rise of %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 4 36821 0 link-external dockless cycles false /categories/utc/news/passport-brings-traffic-management-platform-to-the-uk/ false false%> are causing problems for councils.

“Dockless bikes came in overnight and have created a huge amount of problems for local authorities with bikes being dumped and with no one having an understanding of usage, ownership or licensing,” Warnes adds.

Related Content

  • France’s railways roll out B2B web portal
    April 8, 2014
    A new English-language web portal, www.French-rail-industry.com has been launched to promote France’s railways expertise to potential customers. The web portal aims to raise awareness among industry professionals worldwide of the know-how prevalent in France’s railway sector with sections devoted to the latest international company news and events such as Innotrans, which will take place in Berlin from 23 to 26 September 2014. The website will also help to establish connections between international
  • Traffic Technology targets driver distraction with SpeedWatch+
    March 19, 2018
    UK company Traffic Technology’s popular non-confrontational community speed watch device, SpeedWatch, is now able to target drivers’ distracted or dangerous driving behaviour, such as mobile phone use or failure of occupants to fasten seatbelts. The SpeedWatch+ interactive display wirelessly interfaces to the manned SpeedWatch radar system, while a tablet device enables trained members of the public to select appropriate messages which are sent to the display to warn violating motorists. A large aesthetic
  • Delhi uses waste-to-energy to power metro line
    June 13, 2019
    Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced it is receiving power generated from a waste-to-energy plant to operate the Pink Line metro service in the Indian capital. DMRC says it is currently receiving 2 megawatts (MW) of power from East Delhi Waste Processing Company’s (EDWPCL) 12 MW capacity plant located in the town of Ghazipur. EDWPCL’s waste-to-energy plant was realised from an agreement with the government of Delhi and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation. The facility is expected to pro
  • New report investigates cyber security of connected vehicles
    February 9, 2016
    TU-Automotive has just released a new 60-page report, Cyber Security in the Connected Vehicle 2016, which looks at the role of robust cyber security practices and systems in the connected vehicle now and in the future of the automotive industry.