Bird scooters are gone from the sidewalks and streets of the capital city. The stocky, electric scooters were in the city for several weeks, but now the company needs permission to keep operating.
They landed without warning on the sidewalks of cities across the country this summer. In Providence, residents had started to discover the scooters, which are unlocked with an app, then left on the sidewalk for the next user.
But the guerilla-style launch of the scooters angered city leaders in some places, including Sommerville in Massachusetts. Providence officials crafted new regulations for a pilot scooter-sharing program in mid-August.
According to a spokesman from the Mayor’s office, the company must submit an application and limit the number of scooters in the city to 300 for the first year. Bird also has to provide a minimum one-million dollar insurance policy.
The Uber-owned company Jump Bikes is set to launch an electric bike share later this summer in Providence.
