Portland health care workers can get free e-scooter rides

Spin, the electric scooter company owned by Ford, offers 30 minute rides for free in eight cities.

If you see a white coat zipping down the streets of Portland, don't be too surprised.

Spin — the electric scooter company purchased by car manufacturer Ford in 2018 — is now offering free 30-minute rides and helmets to doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, aides and other hospital employees in eight cities.

That includes Portland, as well as Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Tampa. The offer rolled out on April 1 and will last through April 30.

The promotion is apparently a tribute to the "countless healthcare professionals who are on the frontlines working tirelessly to keep us safe and healthy" during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a company announcement.

To apply, you'll need to download the Spin smartphone app, as well as take photos of your health care ID and state ID cards and submit them here. Approval can take 24 to 48 hours, and the company promises to offer a free ticket to ride to more types of essential service workers soon.

Spin's unique form of honoring those battling the coronavirus stands in stark contrast to the rest of the city's two-wheeled fleet. According to Willamette Week, e-scooter operators Lime and Bird ceased operations indefinitely in mid March, while Razor has slimmed down its deployment.