PITTSFIELD, Mass. - The City of Pittsfield announced Wednesday a rollout of a fleet of Bird scooters.

Riders can rent the electric scooters, or "e-scooters," with the click of a button on the Bird app using a smartphone. The base rate is $1 and then 39 cents per minute for use.

The city has partnered with Bird for a fleet of up to 75 scooters. 

Using the Bird app, riders can find a scooter nearby, rent the scooter and then park it in a designated area which can be found on the Bird app map. 

“We applaud the City of Pittsfield for their commitment to offering convenient, environmentally friendly and reliable transportation options to residents and visitors," a Bird spokesperson said in a statement. "Whether going to the store or meeting up with friends, residents will be able to replace gas-powered car trips with eco-friendly Bird rides.”

The scooters can travel up to 15 mph and Bird will set the scooters’ boundary to Pittsfield city limits, meaning riders can use the scooters anywhere in Pittsfield, but won’t be able to travel outside of the city.

Last month, Ricardo Morales, Pittsfield’s department of public services and utilities commissioner, said bringing Bird into the city wasn’t necessarily to attract more people to the downtown area, but to provide an alternative form of transportation for Pittsfield residents and more access to other parts of the city. 

“The reason we are allowing and working with Bird has to do more with providing options along the micro-mobility spectrum of transportation. We’re not using it as an attractor for activity. We’re using this for access and availability. It covers a segment of travel, mid-range travel,” Morales said. “It’s wide open for riders to cover the entire city."

A larger event is planned in Pittsfield in the near future for an official rollout. 

Bird scooters are available in over 400 cities worldwide. According to Bird, Pittsfield is the only city in Massachusetts offering the scooters.