Scooters to roll into downtown Hastings this spring

Hastings will feature electric scooters for rent in its historic downtown starting this spring, as part of a national scooter operator's efforts to offer them in cities of all sizes.

Fifty Bird scooters will be available in Hastings for tooling around downtown or on nearby trails, said John Hinzman, the city's community development director.

"We're happy to have them here," Hinzman said. "There's some excitement about [the scooters]."

The scooters will likely arrive in about five weeks, but that's dependent on weather, he said.

The City Council approved regulations for the scooters and their rental at a meeting earlier this month. On Tuesday, the city approved Bird's license for the scooters, he said.

The license agreement extends through the end of the year. Bird will pay the city $500 for the license plus $50 for each scooter — a total of $3,000, Hinzman said.

Bird spokeswoman Lily Gordon said the company will start by bringing 50 scooters to Hastings and add more over time. She said Bird chose Hastings because of the "community's investment into their bicycle and pedestrian networks," which fits with the company's focus on providing eco-friendly, low-emission transportation options as alternatives to gas-powered car trips.

The Hastings expansion is part of Bird's effort to bring scooters into cities of all sizes, Gordon said.

Bird has scooters in nearly a dozen Minnesota cities, she said, and Bird promotional materials listed Duluth, New Ulm, Marshall and Albert Lea as examples.

Minneapolis and St. Paul have both had Bird scooters in previous years.

The scooters cost $1 per minute and require users to download an app, sign an agreement, pay with a credit card and complete a tutorial.

Hinzman said the scooters could be appealing to people who arrive in Hastings by boat, docking at marina slips on the Mississippi River. They could take a scooter across the bridge to downtown businesses, he said, and it would be quicker than walking.

Port of Hastings Outfitters rents electric bikes, Hinzman said, but the city has not had scooters yet.

City Council Member Jen Fox is a co-owner of Spiral Brewery, located in downtown Hastings. She said she thinks the scooters will be a draw for people from around the metro area.

"I am so excited about them," she said. "I think that this is a fun new avenue for tourism."