XENIA — There’s a new way to get around Xenia.

Electric scooters, which the city recently approved, have arrived in the downtown area and are available for use. Electric scooters are growing in popularity across the region and country, and city leaders think Xenia will be the perfect fit.

“Xenia’s historic downtown and bike trail system provide an excellent environment in which to operate these scooters,” said City Planner Brian Forschner.

No city money was used in bringing scooters to Xenia, the city posted on Facebook.

Bird, a company offering alternative, affordable, and eco-friendly transportation options, was founded in 2017. It is currently active in more than 450 cities across the country including Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Springfield. Riders will need to download the Bird app prior to using a scooter. The app shows you the closest scooter to your location, allows you to unlock it prior to your ride, and lets you pay for the amount of time you’d like to use it. Unlocking a scooter will cost $1 and then between $.39 and $.59 per minute of use.

Once a scooter is in use, the rider must follow all traffic and safety laws. Bird scooters will only be permitted on roadways with speed limits of 45 mph and below. Scooters are also welcome to be ridden in the bike lanes. Riders must be 18 years or older to operate a scooter and helmet use is encouraged. When you’re finished with your ride, scooters must be parked in a designated parking area or on the sidewalk in a way that does not block pedestrian traffic.

Bird offers 24/7 support by phone at 1-866-205-2442. General questions may be emailed to [email protected].