Bird and Yonkers Celebrate One Year of Scooters, 10 Tons of CO2 Avoided

How much of a difference can one year of shared scooters make? When it comes to Bird’s partnership with Yonkers, the answer is quite a bit.

A year ago, as part of a broader effort to lower vehicle emissions, Yonkers teamed up with Bird to launch New York State’s first scooter pilot program. The idea was simple: by providing safe, eco-friendly transportation options, the city could decrease traffic congestion and improve air quality in densely-populated Southwest Yonkers. Based on the numbers, that simple idea has turned into an impressive reality.

“We’re very encouraged by the number of Yonkers residents using Bird electric scooters as a regular part of their mobility routine,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “There’s more work to be done, but the City’s micromobility program has yielded real first- and last-mile transportation solutions for Yonkers residents, continuing our dedication to lowering emissions and increasing mobility access for everyone.”


Yonkers’ Scooter Program By The Numbers


Since its inception, the pilot program has seen well over 50,000 scooter rides, averaging around 1.5 miles per trip. Based on conservative estimates, that means Yonkers has avoided approximately 10.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. 

Additionally, the most popular time for trips was between 4-6pm on weekday afternoons. This would indicate that people are relying on Bird during the afternoon rush hour, decreasing congestion and using sustainable transportation for necessary trips.

An Important Part of a Larger Sustainable Mobility Movement


The scooter program, which has been concentrated in Yonkers’ densest and most highly-populated southwest area, is only part of the city’s push for more eco-friendly transportation. 

Last year, Mayor Spano signed the Green Fleet Standards for City Vehicles executive order, which transitioned the city’s municipal fleet of cars from gas to electric. Yonkers also continues to install electric vehicle charging stations all around the city and to build out infrastructure around sustainable options like bikes and e-scooters. Measures like these go a long way, and Bird is proud to be a part of the City’s efforts to fight climate change and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Bird’s partnership with Yonkers has also gone beyond lowering emissions. This year, we were proud to offer free rides to and from vaccine appointments across the city. To date, hundreds of Yonkers residents have used our scooters to travel to and from pharmacies and medical centers in order to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Learn More


Bird’s micromobility service in Yonkers is part of our expanding operational footprint throughout the Northeastern US. Recent and upcoming launches in nearby cities including New York City and Newark, New Jersey are helping our team enact meaningful mobility change across the region. 

To learn more about upcoming Bird launches and city milestones, subscribe to the Bird Cities Blog.