Members of the Denver City Council signaled that they weren’t yet supportive of dropping two of the city’s scooter providers in favor of a new company after they again delayed a vote on the contract Wednesday.
The to move the vote to a meeting two weeks away after council members raised questions about the contract’s details. The proposed new company, Veo, would replace both Lime and Bird and says it will offer lower prices for riders and more scooter options beginning in May.
But some council members raised concerns about whether the company would be able to take on a free program for low-income residents.
“I would motion to (request) two weeks so I can read the contract and get me the answers to the questions that I’m asking,” Council President Amanda Sandoval said, adding that she wasn’t given the contract early enough to fully analyze it.
Councilman Chris Hinds said he believes the contract was delayed in part because of other recent Department of Transportation and Infrastructure decisions that the council has been frustrated with, including changes to a road diet along Alameda Avenue.
“I don’t know if it’s that people have concerns on Veo or whether it’s ready for the floor, I think we want to make sure that our work is checked and that we can trust but verify,” he said.
Veo plans to offer a free-access program for low income riders similar to the one available to Lime riders, but it will first need to transition those users to the new platform. The city would offer an incentive for Veo to expand the access program by giving a $2.50 rebate for each access trip that is beyond 25% of all rides — up to $1 million.
There are about 8,000 riders using that free access program currently, according to DOTI officials.
Veo would offer standing scooters, seated scooters, two-person scooters, trikes and cargo bikes. Income-qualified riders would be able to have up to 60 minutes of free riding every day. Veo would also place about a third of its fleet in “equity-focused neighborhoods,” according to a presentation from the company.
The current rate for riding scooters is $1 to unlock and then 44 cents per minute of riding. The new deal would still have the $1 unlock fee, but Denver residents would pay 25 cents per minute while other riders would pay 39 cents per minute.
Last year, the council passed an ordinance that requires detection technology in all scooters to prevent people from riding on sidewalks beginning July 1. The ordinance also requires some parking restrictions. Veo’s vehicles would have a built-in audio system telling riders when they’re breaking those safety rules.
Denver’s agreement with Veo would last a minimum of three years, with the company paying $245 per scooter device to the city each year for up to 9,000 scooters, generating about $2.3 million per year.
The committee will reconsider the contract April 15.
