As e-scooter companies leave Raleigh, professional chargers brace for lost business
When electric scooters took Raleigh by storm last year, James Douglas jumped at the opportunity to keep them in motion.
It has since turned into a nightly scavenger hunt to round up, load up and charge up as many bird scooters as possible.
"It's pretty fast paced,” said Douglas, who earns between $100 and $200 a night charging the scooters.
“I've learned to appreciate my city,” he said. “It's easy money. You basically work for yourself.”
Those are the main reasons, he said, charging has become so competitive.
“A lot of people, this is their livelihood, so at points in time you may catch an aggressive person who is maybe willing to get physical over a $4 scooter,” Douglas said.
It's a profitable side hustle to support his family, but it'll all end this month when Bird leaves Raleigh.
“It can really make or break somebody,” Douglas said.
Lime has also announced its plans to leave.
Both companies cited high fees and what they called some of the strictest regulations in the country.
In a statement, Bird says the move will put more cars back on the street, “jeopardizing the $3.6 million of annual revenue we were on track to deliver to our chargers and mechanics.”
The city of Raleigh said five different scooter companies have already expressed interest in coming to Raleigh this summer.
Officials said they plan to select up to four new companies. They are currently reviewing the proposals and plan to make final recommendations to the city council in mid-May.
Douglas said there’s hope for chargers like him.
“If the chargers do their homework and research on the new companies, I think everything will be all right,” he said.
