CHAT News File Photo

By Gates Guarin

almost 69,000 kilometres travelled

Bird Canada has ‘great first season’ of e-scooter pilot program

Nov 22, 2022 | 3:37 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Initial data behind Medicine Hat’s first year with e-scooters has rolled in.

Bird Canada calls the pilot program in the city a success, and Chris Schafer, vice-president of government affairs, says Hatters fully embraced the mode of transportation this summer season.

“It was a great first season in Medicine Hat. We feel just based on what we’re seeing in Medicine Hat that they were really embraced by residents and visitors,” Schafer says. “We saw really, the trips in the thousands during the first year of the pilot in the city, so we’re enthusiastic.”

Numbers show users in the city travelled almost 69,000 kilometres since the e-scooters rolled out back in May, which is almost twice around the world. Medicine Hat also has the distinction of averaging the longest trip length in Canada, with almost four kilometres travelled per ride.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

18h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

Dec 12, 2024

IN THE COMMUNITY

'Compassionate Friends' offer peer support for bereaved in Medicine Hat

Dec 11, 2024

Data also shows one rider took more than 130 trips from July to October, which is an average of a trip a day for the season. The longest single ride in the city measured 43 kilometres.

“This person is a real enthusiastic Bird Canada rider, we love to see it,” Schafer says.

Bird Canada says the novelty and reliability played a factor in the scooter’s popularity, and Schafer adds the program provides benefits to quality of life as well.

“The perspective you have on your surroundings, the city you live in, the community you live in, I find is different behind a bicycle or a scooter than it is in a car, even within a bus or a subway,” he says. “You just get a different perspective on your community, you can interact with your community in interesting ways when you’re on a bicycle or scooter that you can’t simply do behind the wheel of a car, and I think that has positive externalities for communities.”

READ MORE: Bird e-scooters taking flight in Medicine Hat

The city is still in the process of evaluating the results of the pilot program, but Schafer is optimistic the scooters will be back on city streets next spring.