Neuron wraps up Saskatoon e-scooter season, Bird continues operations

There will be fewer e-scooters on Saskatoon streets after the first snowfall of the season hit this week.

The electric scooters arrived in the city in May, with two companies, Neuron and Bird, operating them as part of a two-year pilot.

Neuron Mobility said Wednesday was the last day to rent one of its shared scooters in the city. Since it launched in May, Neuron said riders in the Bridge City have logged 280,000 kilometres. Neuron also ended its e-scooter program in Regina on Wednesday.

Bird, meanwhile, said that company will continue operating in reduced numbers until about the end of the month.

“We’re back after the snow,” a Bird spokesperson told 650 CKOM. “Right now we’re targeting a wrap up of Oct. 31 after a fantastic season of operations in the city.”

Neuron shares stats after first e-scooter season

According to Neuron, the average trip in Saskatoon on its e-scooters lasted 16 minutes and covered 2.7 kilometres, “suggesting that e-scooters are being used for short trips around the city.”

The company said a survey it conducted showed 54 per cent of trips replaced use of a car, which Neuron said kept 24 tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the air and helped reduce traffic congestion.

“The survey found that six out of 10 trips resulted in a purchase at a local business, with an average of $58 spent per trip,” the company said in a statement. “It is calculated that each e-scooter contributes $29,000 to Saskatoon’s economy, which equates to a cumulative spend of $7.3 million per year.”

The scooters, Neuron said, are most popular among the 16-to-24 age group (45 per cent), followed by the 25-to-34 age demographic (27 per cent).

Slightly more than half of the riders were male – 54 per cent – which Neuron said is “one of the smallest gender gaps in Canada.”

“We are delighted by the uptake of our e-scooters in Saskatoon,” Ankush Karwal, Neuron’s general manager for Canada, said in a statement.

“As the first season comes to a close we want to thank the City of Saskatoon and our riders for their continued trust and support in making the program a success.”

Marv Friesen, MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale, said the scooters have been “a fantastic addition” to Saskatoon.

“It’s great to see so many people out and about in our communities riding, exploring our trails and visiting our many local businesses,” Friesen said in Neuron’s news release. “Neuron has been a great partner and I look forward to seeing them back in the City in a few short months.”