File photo A small group of electric scooters were located at Lyon and Third streets in Marshall in July 2021.

MARSHALL — There’s been a change in traffic in Marshall this summer — for the first time in three years, rental scooters haven’t been seen on city streets.

Marshall Public Safety Director Jim Marshall said it’s something local residents have asked him about.

“People noticed that they’re not around,” he said.

But the lack of Bird rental scooters in Marshall this summer doesn’t have anything to do with city actions, Marshall and Marshall City Administrator Sharon Hanson said. This year, Bird did not approach the city about renewing an agreement to operate in Marshall, Hanson said.

Last year, the electric scooter company Bird Global announced it was reorganizing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections.

Bird scooters were first available to rent in Marshall in the summer of 2021, when the company rolled out a trial fleet of 25 e-scooters that could be rented through a phone app.

The following year, the city approved extra safety provisions for the agreement with Bird, which included speed and riding restrictions in certain parts of Marshall. At the time, members of the public had raised concerns about scooter riders going too fast or riding unsafely, especially in the downtown area.

“In the past, we had (concerns) to some degree,” Marshall said of the Bird scooters. Some Marshall residents said the scooters ended up on their front lawns, he said. There were also a couple of accidents that involved people on scooters.

In December 2023, the Associated Press reported that Bird Global was struggling financially, and had filed for bankruptcy protection. In April, Bird announced that the company had reorganized under a new parent company called Third Lane Mobility Inc. The company announcement said Bird would continue to operate in cities around the world.

There are still some Marshall residents riding electric scooters today, Marshall said. However, those scooters are privately purchased, and not part of a rental program, he said.