MU, Bird sign operating agreement
The University of Missouri and Bird, Inc. agreed on new terms for use of the company’s electric scooters on campus.
School spokesman Christian Basi said the two sides agreed sometime last month rules for impounding scooters, where scooters are supposed to be parked and how Bird employees will respond to complaints.
“We want to make sure that we’re utilizing it in a manner that contributes to the overall campus environment and that it does not in any way compromise the safety of our students,” Basi said.
The agreement comes nearly one year after Bird deployed its fleet in Columbia. University officials said then that initial conversations with Bird about the scooters’ use on campus were unproductive. The Columbia City Council passed an ordinance specific to electric scooters, banning their use at night and during bad weather.
While the university has not provided ABC 17 News with a copy of the agreement yet, Basi did discuss some details of the contract. The agreement gives a Bird employee “a few hours” to move a scooter blocking a sidewalk or ramp before university staff can impound it. The school will charge a minimum $100 fee for the company to get the scooter. That money will be used by the operations division, Basi said, which maintains things like the campus’ walkways.
Basi said the school and company are also working on a safety event for next school year to help educate students on proper use of the scooters.
“Many of us wish that that was one of the first things that they had done, but we’re glad that we’re at this point now,” Basi said.
Mackenzie Long, government communications for Bird, told ABC 17 News that the company was looking forward to the event next semester.
“Bird is very proud of our partnership with the University of Missouri, and we look forward to the start of the new school year when we can introduce our service to new students. University students and staff around the country enjoy Bird as a way to get around that is low cost and zero emissions. We are grateful to the University of Missouri for ensuring their students can similarly enjoy Bird and all the benefits that come with it.”
Jennifer Horton with University Hospital said the emergency department informally tracks the number of injuries it treats due to the scooters.
Columbia Public Works spokesman Barry Dalton said that since the city signed the agreement with Bird, it has not impounded any scooters. Parking staff typically move the scooters out of the way if they are blocking a sidewalk, Dalton said.
Basi said he was reluctant to say where the scooters would be kept after someone broke into a university storage facility and stole 40 of them. Anthony Hamilton faces three counts each of property damage and trespassing for the break-in.
