Bird: the end of electric scooters?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
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In this Company Forensics episode, we talk about a young, promising company with a dark side: Bird.
#startups #Slidebean #Bird
0:00 Bird: Intro
0:58 Bird: The origins
2:44 Bird: Changing the world, one scooter at a time
3:31 Bird: Interesting business practices
4:51 Bird: Growing and growing
6:12 Bird: Ups and downs
7:14 Bird: An unforgiving year
8:33 Bird: Black and gray
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Read the video transcription + sources: slidebean.com/blog/startups-b...
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Apparently for the company management, the employees were just as disposable as their scooters. Terrible.
that's basically every company lol
Well, for the employees, the company is also as disposable as their scooters.
One thing you have to learn is that this world is ruthless and unforgiving you *will* be faced with disappointment, you *will* be fired at least once in your life. Deal with it and move on, stop being so soft
@@evilpimp4371 Yes but there has to be criticism when a company handles it badly? In the middle of a pandemic, where you can’t just go out and ‘find another job’ (something that is much harder to do these days anyway) workers want transparency and honesty, this company provided none of that.
Amazon fired thousands because they wanted to unionise whilst JB pockets millions
This is people’s income, the only way they can afford to get by, have a little bit more respect.
Um, sorry, what else do you expect them to do? If the store shuts down, the employees lose their jobs. Yeah, terrible for the employees, but how is it the company management's fault?? The longer they stayed online with the accounts, the longer they were renting the AWS servers and losing money.
Meteoric rise and spectacular fall of a tech company run by frat boys? This has become a cliche now. A sad situation for the hard working employees who lost their jobs without warning or compensation.
u make it sound as though they dont get paid for working......
people complain about getting retrenched all the time,this happens all the time......regardless of age of companies or length of employment,companies retrench their workforce all the time......theres even movies made about this like "three company men"
u cant stop these things from happening,its up to u to defend against it,everyone from the moment they start working should be setting aside a tiny portion of their income to start building up a safety net or cushion for the long term.
@@jont2576 typical American mentality. You should check out how the rest of the developed world handles this. You're not in very good position, I'll tell you that.
@@jont2576 This is a delusional comment.
This makes a pretty good argument for not going to work for any compamy that just got started by a bunch of frat boys with other peoples' money. MAYBE they're the next big thing like Amazon or PayPal, but probably not. Seems like nobody values being an independent entrepreneur working with just their own hands anymore. Oh well. It pays me a stable living at least.
@@joewheelmonger6887 what do you do. I’m a producer and artist. So we’re both independent entrepreneurs, but I feel probably do vastly different things
I live in Santa Monica, I remember trash bins full of Bird scooters. Then they started throwing them in the ocean. They catch on fire in the ocean btw. Everybody hated them, I saw about five really bad wrecks with birds. Now there all gone, thank goodness.
yeah, no. they are still there😂
@@ZAMATHON127 Yeah i noticed their return.
Imagine being the engineer who made the tool to deactivate everyone’s account and being forced to add your name on the list.
It's like having to "Order 66" yourself
@@14loosecannon it will be done my lord
I think it is more likely that engineer create the script but HR add the names who would be affected
@@vitormlb1199 That must have been what it was like for Director Krennic to get shot by the Death Star
@@TechnicallyaNomad not a nerd, don't know what you're talking about
Just kidding about the nerd stuff, but had to Google to understand the reference as I'm not a StarTrek fan ;)
I have a BIRD scooter that i bought at Sam’s Club. I throw it in the back of my Jeep when i am going to concerts or events when i can park far away and then ride up to the venue. You save a ton in parking.. It also comes in handy when you’re staying at a hotel and you need to run out to get food or water or something and don’t want to walk, Uber, or get your car from the valet.
I think they're a much better idea as a purchase than as a rental
What do you do with it when you get there though
@TH-cam Censorship Bot LoL. Sorry I’m straight.
@@Live.Laugh.Lobotomy I lock it up with a bike lock.
@TH-cam Censorship Bot yeah. It comes in handy… see OP.
That layoff story is deeply messed up 😳
Why
@@emperorza5777 Really?
@@KBWeeds Sorry I didn’t watch the watch the get before I commented.
How could they have done? They had to fire them, they weren't making money
@@filipstravels5327 You can fire a person and make it respectful. What you do is thank them for their work and explain the next steps. What you don't do is trow them out immediately as if they were never there. Especially not via a pre-recorded message.
They had them in the capital of my country. Lasted for 2 months before half of them were thrown into the alzette river. They left soon after
More successful e-scooter companies seem to fix this by leaning into the battery capacity, which also increases weight. When these things are like 19-20 kilos, people seem less likely to drag them around to throw them somewhere.
Wow! Thank you. This was so informative. I got an offer to open up a franchise for bird in my city and came across your video while doing research.
I would never want to invest in or partner with a company that treats his employees, equipment or host cities so poorly.
Thanks for the heads up! I'll be watching your channel from now on.
Finally a positive effect to that pandemic. Bursting the scooter bubble, it was about time.
I really enjoyed using the scooters though, they are fun and really efficient.
@@wilkannen8346 Then own one. I have nothing against scooters, it is the business model that suck, for many reasons. The average lifespan of a rented scooter is about 30 days. So maybe efficient, but with that business model, definitely not green.
@@v1ncen715 I literally can't own one in the UK its illegal (to privately own one)
@@testaccount4191 Indeed, I just found out the law is crazy in the UK!
Agreed. The rental companies were giving electric scooters a bad reputation. Any type of vehicle that you can just hop on and ride without any knowledge of how the vehicle operates is a disaster waiting to happen. I own an electric scooter but I took the time to research how they work, the different types of braking systems and how sensitive and effective they are, how to maintain them, and when I finally got one, I took it for multiple test rides in a safe location before I took it on the road or bike lanes to work.
Here in DC, most scooter riders refuse to use the bike lanes, weaving through pedestrians at high speeds on the crowded sidewalks and making a nuisance of themselves. I've seen numerous brawls downtown as pedestrians got fed up with being run down by rude scooter riders. Good riddance.
Seeing the success in this makes me wonder if there's a market for piggyback rides...
😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂
Id sign up brug. How much are you paying the piggy?
If you post it on taskrabbit, someone will probably do it.
How are you supposed to commute with a shared vehicle? What if there isn't one there? Sorry boss. No scooters today not coming to work.
I bought two scooters with extended batteries and love them. I never thought about renting one ever, seemed silly top me. Now I am the retired old guy that scoots everywhere...
@Chuck's poke what a shame Chuck, when I had Pritchard mine I found vids on TH-cam and was able to fix mine (I would have loved to try and help you). I got my parts on Amazon (I also bought extras because in my circle of friends their are 8 scooters) and I have fixed two additional scooters for friends.
"When the tide goes out, you can tell who was skinny dipping" - Warren Buffet
Awesome topic. Well-chosen Slidebean. Can't wait to see how the electric vehicle revolution turns out :)
Thanks for watching!
Basically dot com bubble. A technology that sticks but 90% of companies wont.
@@adanactnomew7085 Didn't turn out so bad for the technology then. *fingers crossed*
Probs i wont take off since the world of petroleum is so powerful and boomers that still have power dont care about the environment
@@pablopelle7436 Green new deal 🌱✌️
Everyone’s been taking a hit lately but the future for electric is optimistic, timing is key rn
Not everyone is taking a hit.
Timing and SOLO shares
Companies are often only as good as their people. You need to care about your people.
I suggested (owning) one for somebody needing a cheap commute. If you compare it to a car (way too expensive), an e-bike (about 2-3 times the cost of a scooter, and totally high maintenance, and more difficult to bring in from the outdoors), a conventional bike (great, unless you are lazy, but still about the same price as an e-scooter, and storage problems), e-skate-board (more expensive than a scooter, unless you are under 100 pounds), and on and on. It's just in a sweet spot for price for what you get, a free ride.
Imagine being so early the video has not even started yet
Thank you for watching!
Your content has always been good, but also I notice the presentation of your videos is improving quickly. Good job Slidebean!
Last year a company introduced electric scooters here and it was exactly the same "disruptive" practice. The main issue though is that there's no age limit, drivers license requirement or any directives to wear helmets or where to park. It's a miracle nobody got killed, but there were plenty of accidents and injuries. Local authorities were too slow to react to the introduction and it goes to show that minor states don't follow and prepare for global trends.
6:54 A bike-mopped hybrid, huh? Amazing.
Yes, I just confirmed using my sellular-smartphone device.
Those scooters are so much friggin fun
Seen so many people get hurt on them. They litter the city and rider are rude
@@user-rs4ci3fn2d "Seen so many people get hurt on them." No risk no fun
@@Darenz-cg9zg I didnt say it was the company's fault, just telling you what I see here in my city.
I know people with cars hate on scooters, but for someone working minimum wage with a knee injury, they're a godsend. I take a scooter to and from work and Physical Therapy every day because they're cheaper than Uber and I can't walk long distances right now. People tell me they're dangerous, but no one has volunteered to buy me a car yet so....
“Sigh-oh-me M365”
Lol, that was a really rough look there.
He pronounced moped oddly too.
Moh-Ped
The way he pronounces Xiaomi is so unsettling 😭😭😭
Fingernail down a blackboard, or you receiving a phone call informing you that a demon will come and consume your soul in 7 days kind of unsettling? :P
I'd rather use my bicicle, It’s getting harder for me to find time to work out so using it as transportation while I do a little of excercise feels good.
Good for you, you get a free workout every day, bonus if you live in a hilly area. I love riding bikes.
Every scooter is disposable, but you can make them last longer. TIER in Europe is pretty good: they have ridiculously powerful & robust scooters that are collected every day for routine maintenance. I have my own scooter now, but I really enjoyed riding these rentals back in the day. Also, the fact that some people throw these around like junk isn't the company's fault: it's also a cultural thing. When I lived in Budapest, I used to see these "dead" scooters every day, but now in Zurich, I barely see any, because people take care of things.
I think all scooter companies fired their employees the same way... mines did
What's that company?
People should know companies that abuse their employees and decide if they want to be customers of such an enterprise.
@@VFPn96kQT Skip Scooters
Omg, they used to be every where waiting for people to rent them, but after the virus they all dissapeared.
got to be the Bird flu
2020 was a game changer for them, indeed!
Nah, they were already partly on their way out, bikes were already half off the streets by the time Covid came. It was annoying seeing them just litter the street and roads.
@@gmr2gnr Good one😉
No that just means there not profitable in your city I charge for them and the scooters never run dry spring through fall
I use to hate does scooter and everything that people can just leave them wherever they want, I love the share bicycle system with proper park stations. People is selfish and they just think on them selves
I would love to see a video about how online companies, like personal ad websites, that require a significant membership before their service becomes useful actually gain those initial members. It's like they can't get off the ground until they're already off the ground, yet they somehow do it. How?
I can see the benefits of the scooters as well as the downsides. One of which is getting to where you need to in a fun way. It can be quite costly but with public transportation being inconsistent or can take at least an hour for a bus throughout most of the US. It is definitely a way to get to where you need to in a timely manner. However there is the safety with them. Most of which are most sidewalks especially in downtown denver are broken or are a tripping hazard. Add the fact you're going like 20mph definitely doesn't help. As well as few places to leave the scooter near any destination, definitely doesn't help. I think if anything be able to have designated parking spots on every second or third corner.
Great video. I enjoyed it very much keep up posting such interesting videos. Will be back to watch more in the future
This is just messed up - appreciate the research that goes into these
maybe it's gone for now, after everything comes back, they can come back. Also, the company has to rent a parking spot in every corner of the city where bikes can be kept. This will be little bit regulated
They use storage units in some states
We had a similar situation and problems with LimeBike. They did both bikes and scooters. To say they had been everywhere is being kind. They even ended up in the St. Joe river. Riders seemed to take these things just so they could abuse them. Worse it didn't seem to me like it was beneficial in the long run. Sure, you could cheaply rent a bike to get you to point A. to point B. But because people would rent them until their time ran out we would also find them in literally in the streets and cars would have to swerve to avoid them. These days however it seems that they are mainly at the university and that's fine with me. But I just don't see how these things could be profitable myself. Well intended or not.
I loved driving by scooters from my car in the rain.
Rentals should be at docking stations where the riders need to return them so they don't clog up the sidewalk.
And they are fully recharged before each rental. Scooter rental should also include helmets.
I think it depends on the city and how people treat these scooters. Here in Dubai a company caller TIER offers the same as Bird does and the scooters seem to be and stay in tip top shape so far. Probably has to do with how regulations are followed by citizens and how the government deals with violations. Not sure if this would be the same in Europe and the US.
Many times I've seen those which paragon themselves as saviors of community, environment or justice, just using gullible people to reach their goals, we should always have a healthy doze of scepticism
Of course my young nephew thought people like me was just old people which didn't understand modern world, or was just envious of other people's success, until his boss suddenly fired everybody, declare bankruptcy, and never paid him the almost two years he worked for him, after all their were following a "vision"
Whew, so glad I bought my own scooter - I can zip around the neighborhood or downtown whenever I like.
I have a smaller scooter w/a 12-mile capacity per charge for zipping around locally, and a larger one with a 60-mile range, with a seat and storage, for extended trips. Best investments I've made in a long time.
Great job on these videos! Y'all are on the ball when researching these companies and giving business advice.
I appreciate that!
Feel free to share it with your friends who may also enjoy it.
@@slidebean You're welcome! Will do.
In China 95% scooters are electric and it's a game changer
Really? Do people in China regularly use these scooters?
The majority are still regular bikes.
@@mayankagrawal1594 No, not really. Rental Bikes were the big boom in China. There are now massive piles of bikes in garbage piles. Google 'bike share trash pile'.
I live in Shanghai and traveled to Hangzhou, Beijing Nanjing etc. There are tons of scooters (all electrics) and cars (mostly gas). There are also quite a few rental bikes but locals usually buy electric scooter because it's very convenient. My european friends also bought scooters but I don't have use from it. Also all the food delivery (there are thousands of them because "eleme" delivery is super cheap) all use electric scooters.
The bikes are very easy to use thanks to alipay/wechat. I use them daily and it's life changing, just find one with the app, pay in a few seconds and drop it wherever you want. They're usually in good condition and a 30min ride costs like 2kuai (~25cts of euro)
@@zilliq Like don't get me wrong I'm not saying scooters are not important but the bikes are the biggest factor. At least in Hangzhou were I was living. Shanghai might be different because people are a lot more wealthy.
He placed these scooters in cities without permission. Paid the "chargers" shit money then cut their rates further. No brick and mortar office to send your lawyer to when you are run over by one of his scooters, just some sort of mystical internet company. And people just leave them laying all over the sidewalks.
as it should be
I love the scooters and the whole dockless ride sharing concept. If they can make their scooters much more durable and work better with cities I still think this market can succeed. Especially in Europe and Asia where distance in cities is generally smaller and public transport is better. I think the argument for too many scooters in cities is exaggerated if you just compare it to how much space cars take up.
Scooters are so much cheaper than a car, so much more efficient, and are better than bikes in many ways.
Such poor way of treating your employees.
Sadly he can still secure investors
Quite a few scooters were being sold and bought in Utah when I was last there just this year and lots of people use the bird scooter
There’s more spin scooters here now. I ended up just buying my own
Hello from Perth Australia we have no rentals only privately owned scooters they are technical illegal but the cops are chill nobody's getting booked and there are hundreds if not more and growing daily.
Great informative video by the way.
The "S" logo of Startbean always makes me think its a Skype ad on my feed and I skip. Just putting out there
In the old days I used a gas/oil mixture on a scooter I had. But when the electric scooter became popular and they became better and more affordable, to this day it’s my favorite form of transportation around the city. No more looking for parking, no sitting in traffic.
I recall when my city had something similar with bikes.
11:15 song?
This was completely stupid. People were driving the against trafic, or they were 2 on the thing, it's was complete chaos for a summer in the city.
You've seen bird a scooter company. Now ladies and gentlemen I present you scooter a bird company
I love my elecctric scooter. I bought an apollo pro for 1850 when it was on sale. It allows me to go to work or other places I need to within a 40 mile range. However, it is not a dinky 16 pound scooter with a mile range. Electric scooters will probably survive as niche products. For people with too much money or seeking alternative transportation. :3
7:16 the fountain shot was made in Saint-Petersburg, Russia :)
Still the future imo. Not legal in the UK yet, although I commute on mine and enjoy not turning up for work covered in sweat 👍
Not rental, but yes ownership, is the best solution to commute in the city.
Bird up
We carry the Bird Air at the Target I work at. I don't believe we've sold a single one...
U guys sell the bird one as well?
@@alanl9497 No, just the Air and the Birdie (unpowered kick scooter).
Mo-ped. As in motor/pedal. Not “mopped”
I’ve read an article a year ago claiming that these scooter business model is a fraud. Scooters break down, are lost or stolen way before they can reach their financial break even. The article said the money raised in the startup business model was channeled for other investments, as the CEO’s know their scooter business will eventually fail.
The only thing these electric scooter companies disrupt is my sidewalk
This brings up 2 things.
1. Running layoffs like is going to permanently hurt the company. I'm not looking for a new role at the moment but let's say I was. First thing I'm going to do is research the company I'm applying or who contacted me. When I find this, what are the changes that I will accept a position in Bird? Year from now they could perfectly easily explain why 2020 caused layoffs, but they cannot explain 1 year from now why they were handled in the way they were. It doesn't paint a nice picture of the company's culture or its leadership.
2. While I'm not entirely bought into the idea of scooter being future of transport, why the US. I would think European cities would be much destined for this type of mobility solutions. They tend to be denser, with better bicycle road coverage and there are often good feeder connections people commuting from longer distances by train and needing a last-mile solution. That said for example for me Dutch National Rail gives a free to borrow a bike in each station with pretty much-guaranteed availability so is scooter really enough improvement to get it?
The employees were happy to work for a company that ignored city rules and laws, and then that came back to bite them.
Ahh... so that's what they are. I've seen them all across the Santurce area of San Juan but have never seen a single person using one.
I used to drive a garbage truck, I'd have at least 3 to 5 of these in big trash bins a week. And my boss told me to always throw them in the truck and take them to the landfill.
I remember seeing them littered all over phoenix a few years ago. I had no idea what the hell they were, so I assumed it was the state government trying to better transportation. Thanks to this video I finally know the truth
Caya's cut looking fresh
eScooters and eBikes for cities are a good idea and all, but I think the business model they came up with was inherently flawed. Outside of certain niche areas that are already well suited for pedestrians, in most areas this is going to be a niche where it makes more sense to just sell these products to the few individuals that can use them.
i saw this coming 6 months after they came out.....one of the problem would be the cost of repairs and replacements. second they were overvalued, third i didn't see how they would profit after factoring in employees, insurance, license , repairs, replacements. it's not a profitable business model.....it also makes the city look dirty with all those scooters laying around. dockless scooters
Verry well made video 👍
I’m so sad this is gone I loved bird
It is a great idea. I would own one and use it everyday living in the city, instead i just rent them. I get where I want to and there is nothing wrong with this.
1:11 is Boston, not Atlanta. I walk that area often. And in Boston, these things were all over. Cambridge had banned them, I believe. I'd see like business looking people downtown riding these things. Then they would just be propped wherever and became very annoying, very quickly.
How much was your traction when you entered 500Startups ?
Mr. Mackey is happy with this development.
I personally prefer lime! The whole deposit 20 before using the service always threw me off. (Living in Ottawa Canada)
Could you please comment on Lime or have you done a video on that company ! Thanks 🙏
I hope futuremotion doesn’t fall to this. Really love the Onewheel
You know how much scooters when to the graveyard. A whole bunch
Bird air the Best I made a Vlog but yeah really good and folded up
one of the poster child of "on demand" hollow economy
5:32 hot grandpa alert!
Should I be shipping my inoperable Bird back to MI (at my own expense which totals $475 for a scooter initially purchased at $600). Will this company be around long enough to fix it. They say they can return (at their expense) witing 2-3 weeks. Will they be around long enough to make good on this promise? I'm ok with spending money to fix if I can get 5-10 years of riding out of the Bird (only ride it a couple of blocks to the gym, grocery, doctor office, etc.) and I keep it in garage (dry, safe). Sugggestions, opinions, experiences???
Lol 😂🤣😂 I hated these things. I remember people throwing them in the ocean 🤣😂🤣😂
That's sad
Very informational 🗣
These were so fun in Denver
Love using Birds at the beach 🤙🏻
So
Maybe there is something special about the US market but worldwide biking skyrocketed, you couldn't even rent or buy a bike in Europe during the pandemic.
You should make an episode about Juul...
Electric scooters were just launched in Islamabad, Pakistan
can u name which company launched it?
@@mayankagrawal1594 ez bike, I think
Interesting!
Electric scooters coming to London as a trial inews.co.uk/news/technology/tfl-e-scooters-renting-london-explained-762486 , although (unauthorised) privately owned scooters individuals have bought are here already and you will see plenty of them if you're in a busy inner London neighbourhood for long enough. (our legislation had to be changed in order to allow even a trial operation of these, as otherwise they were technically classed as motor vehicles)
I used to love using bird in Oakland
feels like the ending is missing. Will there be a part 2?)
Yeah, I wish he would have told us what happened to them AFTER the whole coronavirus thing happened
@@davidnichol4735 it’s still alive
I agree. He said that Travis "resurfaced" but didn't say anything else. That happens a lot with this channel.
do a review about stashaway please
E-scooters should be treated just like E-bikes. They both need a separated lane from traffic and from the sidewalk. Helmet are recommended for both. However the safety problem with scooters is they are much more dangerous than bicycles. A scooters advantages are that they are smaller, lighter, and easier to carry with you to store. Rental E-scooters and e-bike need their own depots owned by the rental companies where they are docked and fully recharged before being re-rented. Personally I prefer bicycles. I would ride a conventional bicycle before an e-scooter.
As far as I can tell, laying off the employees like that wasn't illegal, and they weren't entitled to sue which blows my mind. I lived until 20 in the US but now I am in Europe. Here I cannot be fired without reason, and it still requires two written and one verbal notice before being fired. After we are entitled to several months salary of compensation upon leaving, and keep my benefits for that period as well. If a company fired like that anywhere in Europe, they would be sued (rightfully) in a heartbeat.
On one hand I am still adjusting to not having to look over my shoulder for my employer to screw me over at any moment like I did in the US. On the other hand, it blows my mind that even this egregious behavior isn't somehow regulated in the US. Absolutely insane.
Escooters are very popular to own at all times for many reasons.
I had an awful experience on them. I need a license to even get on a motorcycle or a car as a driver. The expectation you can just get up and on is a huge safety risk. Who has a helmet just casually on them? Very awful idea.