Bird Scooter Chargers: Requirements, Tasks, Income, and How To Apply

Do you love Bird scooters?

Do you want to help keep them charged and on the streets?

If so, becoming a Bird scooter charger may be the perfect job for you.

In this article, we will discuss the requirements, tasks, and income associated with these chargers.

We will also provide tips on how you can apply for this work and where you can find charging hubs near you.

What Is a Bird Scooter Charger?

Bird is a transportation company that distributes scooters to multiple countries for short-term rental.

It was founded by Travis VanderZanden, who had extensive experience in the world of ridesharing through roles with Uber and Lyft.

The company has been operating since 2017 and was the fastest company to reach $1 billion in valuation.

One of its main competitors is San Francisco-based Lime scooters.

The company has more international locations, but their bikes take significantly longer to charge.

A Bird scooter charger is responsible for keeping these scooters charged.

They pick any left around their city, charge them overnight at home, and then drop them off at Bird Nests in the morning.

These are designated zones where the scooters are parked while waiting to be used.

How Does Bird Charging Work?

Here’s a quick look at the process of charging Bird scooters.

Bird Scooter Charger Overview

Bird uses two terms to describe the main activities you will perform while working as a Bird scooter charger.

1. Harvesting
2. Serving

What Do Bird Chargers Do?

Chargers are responsible for picking up, charging, and dropping off scooters.

Picking up scooters usually happens in the evening hours.

To “harvest” scooters, you must first find them in the wild (essentially bird hunting on the street), collect them, and bring them back to your home to charge overnight.

You will use the Bird app to find nearby scooters, a practice almost akin to Pokémon Go.

Once you find a scooter, you will scan the QR code located on it by using the app to unlock it.

Then, you will pick up the scooter and bring it home with you.

In the morning, you will “serve” the scooters by bringing them back to an authorized Birds Nest.

You can find Bird Nests by opening the app and looking at the map.

Keep in mind that you can’t pick up a scooter unless the app successfully unlocks it for you.

What’s more, Bird holds you personally responsible for each scooter you unlock and take home with you.

Every scooter you drop off at a Nest must be in good working condition.

If you notice the scooter is not working, contact customer support promptly.

The customer care department will probably ask you to deliver the non-working scooter to a local Bird location.

In the Bird charger agreement, it says that the company can charge you up to $1,000 per scooter if the company needs to replace a lost scooter.

With that in mind, it’s prudent to confirm the delivery of each scooter to its Nest.

To do this, verify that your Bird app shows it released back into the wild.

How Much Do Bird Chargers Make?

On average, you’ll make about $5 per charged scooter.

Bird pays up to $20 for scooters in highly-populated areas, with most Bird scooters earning approximately $20+ per hour.

Top Bird scooter chargers aim to charge 15 to 20 scooters per night.

Where Can You Be a Bird Scooter Charger?

You can be a Bird scooter charger anywhere that Bird operates.

Currently, the company serves over 350 cities across the United States and in parts of Europe.

In Europe, you’ll find Bird scooters in cities like the following:

• Berlin
• Cologne
• Braga
• Frankfurt
• Marseille
• Hamburg
• Porto
• Vienna
• Roma
• Stockholm
• Zurich

Here are some of the more popular cities in the United States:

• San Antonio
• Atlanta
• St Louis
• Sacramento
• Austin
• Denver
• Salt Lake City
• San Diego
• Detroit
• San Francisco
• Nashville
• Los Angeles
• Orlando
• San Jose
• Santa Monica
• New York
• Washington DC
• Tampa

Bird Scooter Charger Requirements

It doesn’t take much to become a Bird charger.

Here are the requirements.

Be 18 Years Old or Over

The age requirement is the same as it is for becoming a Bird rider.

You must be 18 years old or over.

Live in a Bird Operation Area

If you live in an area where Bird does not operate, then you cannot become a charger.

The best way to determine if Bird has a presence in your location is to download the app and check the map.

Fortunately, Bird operates in more than 100 cities across the globe, including the United States, much of Europe, and Israel.

Own a Vehicle That Fits Three Bird Scooters

The next requirement is to own a vehicle that can fit three Bird scooters.

It can be any type of vehicle, from a sedan to a truck.

After you’re approved as a charger, Bird will call you to ask what vehicle you’ll use to perform the work.

How to Apply To Be a Bird Scooter Charger

The process for becoming a Bird charger is simple.

First, you’ll need to download the app and create an account.

To open a Bird charger account, you’ll be asked to provide some basic information, such as your name, email address, and phone number.

Bird will also request your direct deposit information, social security number, and other tax details.

After you’ve submitted your information, Bird will review your application and decide if you’re eligible to become a charger.

If you are, they’ll send you a welcome kit that includes everything you need to get started.

Bear in mind that you will have to pay a one-time charge of $30 to pay for three charging cables.

Bird sends these cables out to you once you’re approved as a charger.

It typically takes one to three weeks to complete the signup process and receive your charging cables.

As soon as you receive the cables, you can immediately open the app to start working and earning extra money.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you still want to know more, keep for answers to several of the most commonly asked questions about the Bird scooter charging process.

How to Make More as a Bird Charger

Follow these tips to help you maximize your earning potential as a Bird charger.

1. Create your strategy

The first step is to develop a solid strategy.

You’ll need to decide which neighborhood you plan to focus on, what time of night you will harvest scooters, and where you intend to charge them overnight.

2. Be efficient when harvesting scooters

Find a central location where you can park your car and then walk around the neighborhood looking for Bird scooters.

3. Collect as many scooters as possible

Your pay depends on how many scooters you can collect and charge each night.

To start, you could charge six Birds each night with the three chargers Bird initially sends out.

If you prove that you can perform consistently, Bird will send you more charger kits.

4. Deliver the scooters to the right location

For Bird to pay you, you have to deliver the scooters back to an authorized Bird Nest.

These locations are usually easy to find because they’re represented by a green icon in the app.

5. Serve Bird scooters early in the morning

The best time to serve the scooters is early in the morning, around sunrise.

It’s a time when people are looking for scooters to ride to work or school.

6. Stay consistent

The key to success as a Bird scooter charger is to be consistent.

By Bird hunting nightly, you’ll have the opportunity to earn more money.

With that in mind, approach this side hustle like a regular job.

Carve out the time you plan on working for Bird each week.

Stick to the schedule in the same way you would if working as an employee.

The Bird pickup time starts at 9 pm each night.

Some markets start the pickup time at 10 pm.

The gig works great for anyone looking to earn extra money at night.

You must then deliver each charger to its Nest the following morning between 4 am and 7 am.

7. Watch out for tough pickups

You may sometimes look at the Bird app and see an available $20 scooter.

When you go to pick it up, you discover that the last rider decided to hang it from a bridge.

While that might sound absurd, such circumstances must be anticipated.

In this case, it’s not worth putting your life at risk to retrieve the scooter.

A better strategy is to look for $5 scooters left outside homes and offices.

You will pick up four of these easily and save yourself a lot of hassle.

Bird shows $20 pickups as a red color on your app.

Don’t get swayed by them.

Look for the green $5 or yellow $12 pickups and capture multiple scooters each night.

7. Use a van or truck

Top Bird earners drive larger vehicles.

If you drive a Honda Civic or Toyota Camry, for instance, you’ll find it difficult to earn a lot as a Bird scooter charger.

You might fit only one scooter into the backseat.

Moreover, you’ll burn plenty of gas driving one or two scooters home, starting the charging process, and then running out for a couple more scooters.

You’re better off driving a van or truck so you can stack multiple scooters in the back.

Doing so will help you in the morning.

After all, it will be more efficient compared to the multiple rides you’d have to take back and forth delivering Bird scooters in a Civic.

8. Use tax deductions

You’re classified as an independent contractor when working for Bird.

You’re responsible for filing a tax return that claims all Bird income.

The positive aspect of this is that independent contractors can claim tax deductions.

When you file your taxes, you can claim a mileage deduction for all the driving you do to charge Bird electric scooters.

We recommend using an app like Stride Tax to track your deductions.

Stride also tracks other business expenses, such as the cost of charging cables and phone mounts.

You can also deduct items like vehicle repairs and maintenance, your home electric bill, and your mobile phone bill.

It’s a good idea to pay quarterly taxes.

You won’t end up paying a larger tax bill when filing your tax return each April.

Lastly, keep in mind that Bird only pays for chargers that you bring to a 100% charge.

Bird will dock your pay if you don’t return a fully-charged scooter.

They may also reduce your payments if you return a scooter late to its Nest.

Follow all the rules to ensure timely payment.

Bird can delay payments if it suspects that you’re manipulating the Bird service in any way.

The scooter company lists the following items in this area.

• Colluding
• Hoarding
• Manipulating the charging process to obtain an unfair advantage

You shouldn’t run into any issues getting paid as long as you follow the pickup and dropoff rules.

The company will provide a payout the same day you perform the work.

Wrapping Up

Becoming a Bird scooter charger is a simple process that only requires you to meet certain conditions to be eligible.

Once you’re approved, you’ll receive everything you need to get started.

If you have any other questions about the process or would like more information, please feel free to comment below.

Or, take action now by getting started with Bird today if you are located in one of the cities they operate in.