Bird is introducing monthly e-scooter rentals. Will it fly in Atlanta?

The leading company in Atlanta’s e-scooter phenomenon—or what some might call an epidemic—is again introducing a new concept: monthly rentals.

Just don't expect that option in Atlanta. For now.

Hard to believe it wasn’t even a year ago that Bird led Atlanta’s e-scooter craze, citing the allure of the city’s rapid growth and dropping last-mile connectivity options in early May from Midtown to West End, initially.

E-scooter varieties from Lime, Uber, Lyft, and now a yellow newcomer called Bolt have followed suit. And they’ve drawn sharp criticism from pedestrians, business owners, and other city dwellers for being commonly discarded like sidewalk-blocking garbage.

In an announcement provided to Curbed Atlanta today, Bird reps unveiled a monthly rental e-scooter program that could ostensibly help the litter problem by encouraging users to keep the vehicles with them.

Officials with the California-based company said monthly, flat-rate rentals will initially be tested soon in just two markets, San Francisco and Barcelona. Asked when the program might reach Atlanta, a rep said only that Bird is “looking to expand to more cities soon.”

A Bird press release states that cities around the world will see a rollout this spring.

Perks of the program include unlimited rides for a flat fee of $24.99 monthly, at least in San Francisco.

Via the Bird app, anyone interested in monthly rentals would place an order, and Bird reps would deliver the e-scooters to homes or offices. A lock and charger would be provided. When rental periods end, reps would retrieve the three items, per the company.

Travis VanderZanden, Bird founder and CEO, quantified the monthly cost in the release as “less than just a couple of ride-hail trips or parking garage days in most cities.”

What Bird describes as “a waitlist” for all cities has been posted at rent.bird.co.

Should Atlanta be among the next cities in line?