Bird Scooters return to Columbia following contract approval

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Bird Scooters have begun showing up in downtown Columbia, following a recently-approved contract to bring the scooters back to the city.

That contract, approved by city council unanimously on March 15, brought 500 scooters back to Columbia.

Early Wednesday morning, ABC 17 News crews spotted several scooters on downtown sidewalks.

Bird Rides will pay an initial fee of $10,000 each to the City of Columbia and the University of Missouri and $2.00 per scooter in operation each day. That would be split between the University and the city.

The scooters originally left Columbia in November of 2019. When negotiations began for their return, The University of Missouri shut down campus due to COVID-19.

Talks of Bird Scooters returning were then once again tabled at a council meeting in September, after concerns of the scooters impacting curbside pick up amid the COVID-19 pandemic.