Bird, the scooter and bike sharing firm, is launching a pilot centered on providing accessible mobility automobiles for folks with disabilities to hire in New York City this summer time.

In a recent news announcement, Bird mentioned it had partnered with Scootaround, a number one scooter and wheelchair rental firm, to check what it known as a first-of-its-kind accessible mobility program. In the pilot, people will be capable to discover and reserve one of many three accessible automobiles the businesses are making out there, together with the WHILL Model Ci2 power chair, utilizing the Bird app.

Bird didn’t specify what different fashions folks would be capable to hire however did say they would come with three and 4 wheel scooter choices “with attached basket for easy storage.” There was additionally no point out of the price of the service. However, a transportable scooter rental on Scootaround for per week ran between $125 and $195 in some U.S. cities.

Kerry Renaud, CEO and managing director at Scootaround, mentioned within the information announcement that his firm and Bird shared the elemental perception that accessible mobility needs to be out there to everybody who wants it.

“As micromobility options such as shared bikes and scooters continue to expand, we must ensure the benefits of these improved transportation networks be made as widely available as possible, including to persons with disabilities,” Renaud mentioned.

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To reserve an accessible automobile, people can choose that particular possibility in the Bird app. This will help you choose your automobile kind, a rental size between one and 14 days, and a “convenient” pick-up and drop-off location for the automobile, Bird defined. Additionally, on the day of the supply of the rental, riders will obtain an in-person tutorial to assist them learn to use, cost, and retailer their automobile in the course of the rental interval.

Bird mentioned it would roll out the accessibility mobility service in different cities in 2021 based mostly on the outcomes of the pilot program in New York City.