Access to clean, reliable transportation is critical for everyone.
Nick Voss, a 25-year-old Marine Corps veteran based in San Diego, understands this better than most. After joining the Marine Corps in 2016, he suffered a spinal injury in a helicopter accident that required months in rehabilitation at San Diego’s Wounded Warrior Battalion Naval Hospital.
Following a move to transitional housing, Voss began the search for meaningful employment through Easterseals Southern California’s (ESSC) Bob Hope Veterans Support Program. It’s here where Bird’s local team in San Diego heard about his situation and wanted to help.
To thank Voss for his service and sacrifice, we teamed up with our friends at Easterseals, the nation’s largest disability services and advocacy organization, to offer him a brand new WHILL Model Ci2 power chair.
“Electric wheelchairs are a lot easier than manual ones when it comes to the strain on the body, accessibility, where you can and can’t go,” said Voss. “This will provide me with more independence. I’ll be able to go on longer walks with friends, get down to the beach and back and go uphill more easily.”
Promoting Accessible E-Mobility in San Diego and Beyond
Partners like ESSC are essential as we work to increase micro-electric mobility access for those in the disability community.
In December, as Bird announced the expansion of our On-Demand Accessible Mobility Program, ESSC executives spoke to our global employees to provide valuable insights and education designed to help us be more positive and proactive community partners.
“Mobility is a critical issue in the disability community, and programs like Bird’s On-Demand Accessible Mobility are key to enabling people with disabilities to be fully included in their communities,” said Mark Whitley, President and CEO of Easterseals Southern California. “We applaud Bird for not only assisting Marine Corps veteran Nick Voss but for launching this innovative program in San Diego and other cities across the country.”
First announced in July, 2021, Bird’s unique On-Demand Accessible Mobility Program with Scootaround enables persons with disabilities to find, reserve and pay for any of several accessible vehicle types using a custom rider interface available only in the Bird app. Riders benefit from exclusive pricing discounts and have unique access to Bird accessible vehicles including the WHILL Model Ci2.
We are also proud to offer discounts to service members and veterans through our Community Pricing Program.
To get the latest updates on expansions to our newest vehicles and programs that support our mission of bringing eco-friendly transportation to everyone, subscribe to the Bird Cities Blog.
