Bird has recently increased the unlock cost of its electric scooters from $1 to $3 in the Raleigh area.

Bird electric scooters are available around the Raleigh area with the exception of NC State campus. Through the company app, riders still pay an additional 15 cents per minute to ride on top of the $3 base cost.

In an official comment, Sam Reed, director of government partnerships at Bird, said that new fees imposed by the Raleigh City Council are the direct cause of this increase.

“The council passed excessive and unnecessary fees on environmentally-friendly shared e-scooters that will limit access to this affordable transportation option to those who need it most,” Reed said.

According to The News & Observer, back in November, the Raleigh City Council doubled scooter fees from $150 to $300, meaning Bird would have to pay $300 for every scooter they have in Raleigh.

Reed further says that Raleigh residents have shown great support for the company’s service, so these new fees seem contradictory.

“Raleigh residents have enthusiastically supported our service,” Reed said. “They want — and need — more access to our affordable transportation solution, not less.” 

While Bird scooters are not allowed on the NC State campus, they are available all around the Raleigh area. Further information on Bird scooters can be found on their website.