After 11+ Million Miles on Scooters, San Diego to Roll Out First Bird Bikes

Just over 11 million miles. 

That’s the distance riders in San Diego have traveled on Bird scooters since they were first launched here in 2018. To give some sense of scale, it would take a particle of light traveling at 186,000 miles per second roughly a full minute to cover the same ground. 

Miles, however, are only half the story. The four-year shift to Bird micro-electric vehicles in San Diego has helped avoid more than 1,500 metric tonnes of CO2  from entering the city’s airways. That’s about the same amount of carbon dioxide sequestered annually by 62,500 trees, according to the Arbor Day Foundation.

While these numbers are encouraging, we know more must be done. That’s why our local Bird team is rolling out exciting new programs and vehicles designed to increase access to eco-friendly transportation for everyone in San Diego. 

Bird Bikeshare Come To San Diego State University


In September, San Diego will become one of the first cities in the world to launch Bird’s brand new fleet of shared e-assist bikes

The launch comes as part of our exclusive micro-electric mobility partnership with San Diego State University (SDSU). Together with our industry-leading Bird Two and Bird Three scooters, our shared Bird Bikes will be available to help SDSU’s 34,000 students as well as hundreds of staff and faculty members navigate the beautiful 280-acre campus without needing to rely on gas-powered cars. 

“We’re excited to partner with Bird to help provide SDSU students, staff and faculty with a fun, carbon-free micromobility option to use on and around campus,” said Debbie Richeson, Director of Parking & Transportation Services. “The SDSU community will have access to exclusive pricing and a selection of Bird’s high-quality scooters and bikes, making transportation efficient, affordable and sustainable.”

Our new, shared e-assist bikes come with a host of safety and sustainability features including dual hand brakes, advanced onboard diagnostics, aerospace-grade aluminum alloy framing and a maximum range of 56 miles on a single battery charge. SDSU students will have access to reduced prices for unlocks on campus as well as a host of incentives for riding responsibly including Helmet Selfie and automatic ride credits for proper parking.

Bird Three Launches to Support Sustainable Mobility Initiatives in San Diego


San Diego has also become one of the first cities globally to offer our newest Bird Three electric scooters in addition to our smart bikeshare program. 

Built to be the world’s most eco-conscious shared scooter, Bird Three offers exclusive features like the industry’s most sustainable battery, smart braking and acceleration technology, real-time diagnostic monitoring, exceptional visibility and more.The fleet was launched to help support the City’s ongoing initiatives to encourage micromobility use, perhaps best exemplified by the newly-completed protected bike lane along 30th St. between Juniper St. and Polk Ave. 

According to the numbers, riders are taking notice. 


Since the launch of Bird Three, scooter utilization in San Diego has increased significantly. This includes an 80% jump in daily ridership along 30th Street itself from May (pre-bike lane completion) to September (post-bike lane completion), demonstrating how the availability of high quality vehicles combined with protected infrastructure can lead to more active bike and scooter communities in cities. 

Learn More


San Diego’s early adoption of shared bikes and scooters, along with the City’s determination to provide new, safe infrastructure for riders, have made it a national leader in sustainable micromobility use.

To learn about how Bird is increasing access to eco-friendly transportation in San Diego and in more than 300 other cities around the world, subscribe to the Bird Cities Blog.

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