These Birds Don’t Have Wings, But They’re Landing on Campus Aug. 1
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 29, 2020) — Bird e-scooters are landing at the University of Kentucky and in the City of Lexington in August. The electric scooter company will soon begin releasing its e-scooters at bike racks throughout campus.
Bird was recently chosen as the university’s preferred e-scooter vendor, which means the company will deploy and rebalance e-scooters on campus to make them accessible to the community. Bird’s e-scooters will also be an option on the menu of benefits available to eligible UK Commute Club members.
Bird provides a natural way to support physical distancing as riders across the U.S. are Birding again for their essential trips, which are notably longer Bird rides than pre-COVID-19, and finding it is a natural way to physically distance. Learn more about Bird’s sanitation measures here.
In addition, Bird’s Warm Up mode is now available and great for new riders or those who just want to cruise. This feature offers a gentle acceleration option that helps riders feel comfortable and build confidence.
“We’re excited to diversify the transportation options to help students, employees, and visitors get to, from, and around the University,” said Sandra Broadus, UK Transportation Services’ alternative transportation manager. “Bird is a leader in the shared e-scooter industry, and we’re looking forward to partnering with them to make car-free access to campus easier.”
E-scooters first launched in Lexington in October 2019, and have been immensely popular for serving transportation needs, with 45% of all trips city-wide ending on UK’s campus. E-scooter usage is expected to be popular again this semester as students and employees begin returning to campus, so it’s important that riders follow proper etiquette and practice responsible riding:
- E-scooters on campus must be parked at bike racks. Don’t leave the scooter in the middle of a sidewalk or block a public pathway.
- E-scooters are not allowed inside buildings on UK’s campus.
- E-scooters are permitted to ride on sidewalks on campus, but they are not permitted on sidewalks off campus.
- Always yield to pedestrians and be courteous. This could include dismounting during class changes or other periods of high congestion.
- E-scooters are permitted in bike lanes and must follow the rules of the road like any other vehicle.
- Don’t double ride! While it’s fun to flock with friends, make sure you’re riding solo, and keep physically distanced from others.
- Stay alert and save the selfies and music until after the ride.
- Helmets are highly recommended while riding an e-scooter.
A good general rule is to operate and park e-scooters as you would a bicycle.
Like other shared mobility services, Bird e-scooters can be ridden by downloading the Bird app and creating an account with your @uky.edu email address.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.