Just as the weather started to change, students and community members began noticing a familiar sight had come back along with the warmer temperatures — electric scooters from companies like Bird.
Starting on March 8 community members and students began noticing Birds parked along campus sidewalks. Similar to when they first came to campus last fall, there was little fanfare or anticipation. One day they were none, and the next day birds had appeared on campus.
Bird’s scooters, along with those of competitor Lime, left campus last winter in response to impending severe weather including snow and ice, a Bird spokesperson said.
The decision also came as Bird was facing significant regulatory changes by both MU and the City of Columbia.
According to prior Maneater reporting, on their initial departure, the city reached an agreement with Bird that would require the company to pay $1 per scooter in service per day and to provide services such as a 24-hour call line to be used by consumers and city officials. Additionally, the company must be responsible for moving scooters that are parked illegally and they will stop operating at 8 p.m. rather than 9 p.m.
Facing these increases in regulation and a decrease in both demand from and safety for riders due to weather conditions, Bird made the decision to remove scooters from Columbia and MU. However, they always intended to come back, Bird spokesperson Rachel Bankston said.
“We are thrilled to be back in Columbia and to provide residents an environmentally-friendly transportation option,” Bankston said.
Many students are equally excited for Bird’s return, such as freshman Michael Hardin.
“I live in Hatch, which is pretty far away from my classes,” Hardin said. “Bird being back will allow me to get more sleep and still be on time to a morning class. I think it’s great.”
Others are not so thrilled. Junior Andrew Schlager sees Bird as a far more complicated issue.
“Bird can have a positive impact at times, but not at others,” Schlager said. “It can be positive from the standpoint of giving students another activity to do in their free time or if they’re dreading a long walk, but the negative impact I see is students who spend a lot of money to get somewhere that they could walk to for free.”
Schlager also believes safety and quality of life will be negatively impacted by the scooters.
“There are people who ride Birds recklessly and can cause accidents,” he said. “I’m not necessarily unhappy that they’re back, but I think they can start to clutter campus and downtown, which takes away from the beauty of Mizzou.”
Many students, like Hardin, wonder if this time Bird is here for good.
“I do wonder if they will stay until next winter, or leave once the semester ends,” Hardin said.
When asked if Bird planned to leave again before next winter, spokespeople did not respond for comment.
_Edited by Emily Wolf | ewolf@themaneater.com_