Lyft isn’t waiting until the end of April to decide on the fate of its free scooter rides for critical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ridesharing firm has extended its LyftUp Scooter Program through May, giving free rides to healthcare, emergency and transit workers in six cities another month. Employers will still have to enroll staff, but registered workers will continue get as many no-cost 30-minute rides as they need to commute without having to get close to others on public transportation or in rideshare cars.

The program is currently available in Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Monica and the metro DC area. Lyft has also promised stricter cleaning protocols to make sure the scooters themselves are cleaner.

Scooter safety will still be a problem when it’s clear to start travelling again, and Bird thinks it can help assuage newcomers to its sharing service when people return to the streets. It’s piloting a Warm Up Mode feature that accelerates the e-scooter more gently than usual — you won’t risk flying off because you’re unused to that quick-off-the-line performance. You can learn to ride more at your own pace.

The test will be available in “select cities” around the US and Europe in the weeks ahead. Bird hasn’t said what happens after that, but any further rollouts will clearly be dependent on how the pandemic develops.

The company is encouraging cities to implement Helmet Selfie by getting in touch.

Accordingly, Bird will help you find the helmet you need. It’s launching a global Safety Marketplace that will offer a “curated” mix of helmets and other safety gear. If you’re not sure what equipment to get or just don’t want to traipse across town to get it, this could make your shopping considerably easier.

There’s a pragmatic reason for Bird to do this, of course. Local governments’ attention to scooter regulation remains high, and that’s exacerbated whenever there’s a glitch or other safety flaw that puts riders at risk. Whatever Bird spends on ride credits and other treats may pay dividends if it keeps the company out of trouble. However, it’s still beneficial — it might be worthwhile if it gets even a few people to carry a helmet with them on future rides.

This also marks the European debut of the company’s latest scooter, the Bird Zero, which packs both 60 percent more battery life, better GPS and (most importantly) improved safety and durability.

Bird is somewhat behind the curve: its arch-rival Lime already has a presence in several European cities, including in multiple major French, German and Spanish cities. This latest move could help it catch up in grand style, though, and could give you multiple viable options for two-wheeled transport — that is, if you don’t mind the clutter.