INDIO, Calif. — Visitors to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will have a new option for getting around this year.

Bird brought 300 e-scooters to Indio earlier this month, just in time for the 250,000 music fans who are expected for the sold-out shows over back-to-back weekends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

What You Need To Know

  • Bird launched a fleet of 300 e-scooters in Indio earlier this month

  • It also operates a fleet of 100 e-scooters in Coachella

  • The scooters are Bird Threes, which have larger batteries and tires that are designed to avoid flats

  • They are available to riders age 18 and older using the Bird app

“We are excited to welcome Bird,” Indio Mayor Waymond Fermon said in a statement. “Whether going to the Farmers Market downtown, seeing some of the city’s new sculptures, commuting to work or school, residents and visitors now have another fun, eco-friendly way to get around.”

The scooters in Indio are the newest generation Bird Three, which uses the company’s largest-ever battery, real-time diagnostic monitoring and tires that are designed to avoid flats. The scooters are accessible to riders 18 years of age or older using the Bird app and can be ridden on streets, bike lanes and bike paths but not sidewalks. They cost $1 to unlock and 39 cents per minute to ride. Scooters will be available at various locations around the city based on demand.

The Indio City Council approved Bird for a one-year pilot program in March, making it the second city in the Coachella Valley to partner with the Santa Monica scooter company. Bird has been operating a fleet of 100 e-scooters in Coachella since May 2021.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the price per mile for a ride. The error has been corrected. (April 15, 2022)