Health, Safety, and Sustainability.
That was this year’s theme for European Mobility Week, an annual European Commission campaign dedicated to raising awareness of eco-friendly transportation options. The campaign ran 16-22 September and Bird was proud to participate, organizing events and activations across the continent, furthering our commitment to a more sustainable Europe.
Safety Education
The events began in Piazza Sant’Agostino in Milan with an all-day educational event centered on safety. Bird demonstrated the proper way to ride an e-scooter, focusing on tips like helmet use, proper parking, age restrictions, and avoiding sidewalks. The event drew a variety of citizens spanning local politicians, to passersby, and even @Tecnolaura, an influencer focusing on the intersection of health and technology, all of whom enjoyed a lesson in safe mobility.
But the activation didn’t just focus on riding, it also spoke to environmental impact. In collaboration with l’Associazione Cittadini per l’Aria, or the “Citizens for Air Association,” Bird highlighted the positive environmental impact of sustainable travel. After all, every e-scooter trip that replaces a car ride results in lower emissions, cleaner air, and a safer and healthier world.
Bringing Micromobility to More Cities
When we talk about sustainable mobility, we’re often talking about big cities, but smaller communities are just as important. Bird believes in this truly global approach, which is why we were excited to launch in three French cities during European Mobility Week – Villemomble, Montluçon, and Vichy – and to announce future operations coming soon in Xátiva, Spain. By providing e-scooters to smaller cities, we do two things. First, we replace car trips with more sustainable travel in communities that may be less likely to have eco-friendly transportation alternatives. And second, we democratize mobility by providing access to multimodal transportation for everyone around the globe. Bird believes where you live should not limit your ability to move around your community safely and sustainably.
Free Public Bikeshare Integration
Bird’s commitment to the goals of European Mobility Week goes beyond just e-scooter access, though. That’s why, on 22 September, which was car-free day, Bird was excited to announce our new global bikeshare integration. The idea is simple: by partnering with cities to provide access to local bikeshares through our app’s map, we can make cities more connected and more sustainable. Developments like this further Bird’s commitment to improving cities and to the goals of European Mobility Week.
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