Regina residents can now rent e-scooters for about 40 cents a minute

E-scooters officially launched in Regina WATCH: A shared e-scooter program was officially launched in Regina on Wednesday. Hallee Mandryk has the details.

E-scooters have rolled into Regina, and residents now have a new option when it comes to getting around the Queen city.

City coun. Bob Hawkins was one of the first people to take the scooters for a spin at the official launch on Wednesday morning.

“I was really nervous, couldn’t figure out how to go fast, or go slow, got it in 15 seconds and had a great time. I think it’ll help people get around and see all the sights of Regina and give people a chance to explore all the path systems in Regina which is great so it’ll be just a lot of fun,” he said.

Two vendors, Neuron and Bird, provided the shared e-scooter program.

Residents can access the scooters by downloading either the Neuron app or the Bird app, and using their phone to unlock the scooters for however long they would like to ride.

Then, when they’re done, they can just hop off and end their ride via the app.

Neuron scooters have an unlock fee of $1.15 plus $0.39 per minute and the Bird scooters also have a $1.15 activation fee plus a $0.42 per minute charge.

“Why am I excited? Because we actually first touched down in Regina at FROST about 18 months ago and since then, we’ve been looking forward to providing rides to the people of Regina,” said Isaac Ransom, head of corporate relations for Neuron Mobility Canada.

Neuron and Bird do have rules for riders. Riders must be at least 16-years-old and wear helmets. Also, the scooters cannot go on city sidewalks, and are limited to a speed of 15 km/h on pathways and 24 km/h on roadways.

“You have a great summer,” said Alexandra Petre, chief operating officer of Bird Canada. “You’ll be surprised in the fall and winter by how many people still want to use this mode of transportation once you get used to it and I’m excited to see ridership and adoption.”

The two vendors will be operating a total of 500 shared e-scooters until Oct. 31, weather permitting.

One man in Victoria Park took his first scooter ride, and he is excited to make it a family affair.

“Looking forward to updating my iPhone so I can rent one and go around the lake. Maybe I’ll get my mom on one of these,” he said.

This new mode of transportation is intended to be a greener option for those looking to avoid driving, that is user friendly for people of all ages.