Bird is an electric bicycle-sharing and electric scooter-sharing company. Based in San Francisco, it was founded as a start-up in 2017 to transform cities and communities by offering accessible, affordable and sustainable forms of personal mobility. Bird approached Parsons to help design a service and business model that lowers barriers to entry for non-traditional riders who do not currently see themselves as users of shared micromobility.

Our initial service safari showed a clear pattern: women weren't riding. What was keeping them off? Women typically make shorter, more frequent trips and are more likely to juggle strollers, bags, and young children. We set out to understand what women carry—physically and emotionally—and build from there.