Territoires et mobilité.
It’s the idea that access to eco-friendly mobility can benefit all communities, not simply those living in big cities.
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak last year, Bird developed and launched a campaign in France centered around this notion, with a goal of offering our micromobility service to cities and towns of all sizes. This was part of a global evolution of our operations that has allowed Bird to launch critical transportation services in more than 250 cities around the world.
We’re thrilled to announce that our initiative in France has reached a new milestone, as Bird recently became the first micromobility provider in the country to operate shared scooters in more than twenty French cities.
Supporting 20 French Cities and Towns of All Sizes
Among these twenty cities are major urban centers such as Marseille and Bordeaux, home to hundreds of thousands of residents and millions of tourists every year.
In such locations, Bird works hand in hand with cities and local organizations such as Junior Entreprise of Sciences Po Bordeaux to conduct grass-root surveys and gather insights from local residents. This information is then shared with officials to help us make the best operational decisions possible. We also work with community groups to assist our local team with everything from educational outreach to safety events.
These collaborations ensure that we’re always listening and adapting to the rapidly changing needs of riders and elected officials in large cities.
However, Bird is also proud to support the mobility needs of a growing number of smaller cities throughout France including Castres in the south, Châlons-en-Champagne in the east, Hérouville-Saint-Clair in the north and many others. In these less populated areas where public transit options are often limited and cars have become a way of life, shared scooters offer a new, sustainable mobility alternative that is helping to change daily transportation habits.
“Here, attachment to cars is historic,” said Mayor Benoist Apparu of Châlons-en-Champagne, the first city in France’s Grand-Est region to offer shared scooters. “All the same, we’re seeing a change in mentality.”
Châlons’ director of public safety concurs: “So far, so good. I was skeptical, I thought the scooters would be all over the place, but no accidents have been reported, and no negative feedback has been received from residents. The riders are respecting regulations and traffic laws.”
Focus on Parking and Compliance in All French Cities
Our desire to provide eco-friendly mobility to all riders in France goes hand in hand with our commitment to ensuring they respect local rules governing its use.
It’s why Bird has enforced mandatory parking in all of our partner cities in France, including most recently becoming the first operator to proactively implement this technology in Marseille. In large cities, we also work with French companies such as iziwork to solicit the help of local Bird Street Teams to ensure parking compliance.
“This new experience as a Bird Street Team member has allowed me to gain real operational expertise around electric scooters, including parking rules and other issues,” said Slimane Hammami, a resident of Marseille and Bird Street Team member for almost two years. “As a Marseillais, it’s satisfying to ensure that public parking is respected in the city I love. I am proud both to accomplish this mission and of the trust placed in me.”
To learn more about Bird’s responsible growth across Europe and our commitment to providing safe, eco-friendly mobility for everyone, subscribe to the Bird Cities Blog.