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BLUE DUCK TO LAUNCH MISSISSIPPI’S FIRST MICROMOBILITY FLEET
Scooters will be available in Vicksburg starting September 17th
SAN ANTONIO AND VICKSBURG, SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 — Blue Duck, a San Antonio-based micromobility company operating in Texas and the Southeastern U.S., will partner with the City of Vicksburg to roll out Mississippi’s first fleet of shared electric scooters under new legislation recently signed by Governor Tate Reeves. The company’s scooters will launch on the streets of downtown Vicksburg on September 17th.
Last fall, Vicksburg city officials and Blue Duck initiated discussions to explore the possibility of bringing micromobility to downtown Vicksburg. At that time state law did not permit the operation of electric scooters on public streets. Blue Duck representatives worked closely with City staff to draft a local ordinance permitting the use of electric scooters in Vicksburg, pending the authorization from the state that the governor has now signed.
“Vicksburg will be the first in the state of Mississippi to have electric scooters available to our residents and visitors,” said Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs, Jr. “We selected Blue Duck Scooters because of their commitment to safety and operating responsibly. They have been working very closely with the city to do this right. These scooters will be good for tourism and for attracting millennials downtown,” he added.
“This legislation marks a new era for shared micromobility in the state of Mississippi. Blue Duck is proud to partner with Vicksburg as the city leads the way, introducing e-scooters to residents and visitors alike,” said Megan McNamara, Blue Duck’s Senior Director of Partnerships. “We know other cities across Mississippi will follow in Vicksburg’s footsteps and we are eager to collaborate with them to guide those initiatives,” she added.
Blue Duck will hire a local operations team and operate its scooters out of a local warehouse. The Blue Duck team will monitor scooter use continuously, and will be out in the field, inspecting scooters, removing any devices that need maintenance or charging. They will also be sanitizing the scooters at least twice a day.
Jeff Mangold, Blue Duck’s Co-Founder and Senior Director of Fleet Management, said “Blue Duck has implemented enhanced cleaning protocols to help combat the coronavirus. Scooters are sanitized daily in order to protect the health and safety of the community. As businesses reopen and regular activities resume, scooters provide a transportation option that allows people to maintain physical distancing measures.”
Initially operating in areas of downtown designated by city officials, Blue Duck’s scooters will be available to rent from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Riders will download the Blue Duck app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play and use their mobile phones to locate and unlock scooters. Each Blue Duck scooter is equipped with GPS technology, which allows for geo-fencing to prevent them from being operated or parked in prohibited zones.
A press conference and launch event will take place on September 17, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. at the Vicksburg Convention Center, 1600 Briggs Hopson Boulevard in Vicksburg.
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About Blue Duck
Blue Duck is a micromobility company focused on Texas and the Southeastern United States. Blue Duck’s civic-minded approach — Micromobility, Southern Style™— sets it apart from other companies in the sector. Blue Duck designs clean-tech, last-mile transportation solutions for cities, universities, and corporate campuses. The company invests in superior micromobility assets and hires employees, rather than using contractors, to deploy, collect, maintain, and charge its assets out of local operations centers. For more information, visit their website at www.flyblueduck.com.