Denver will have a new scooter provider for thousands of electric mobility devices by the end of this week after the City Council on Monday approved a new contract with Veo.
The current scooter and e-bike providers, Lime and Bird, will begin vacating the city as the California-based company moves in.
starts at the beginning of May on Friday and will last at least three years. The city expects Bird to remove all of its scooters by Friday. Lime employees will remove all of its devices by May 15, said Nancy Kuhn, a spokesperson for .
The council’s unanimous decision came after weeks of controversy over the proposal. A council committee delayed the contract twice before allowing the full council to consider it. The full council ultimately approved the contract in a block vote Monday afternoon.
“Denver has set one of the strongest examples in the country for a micromobility program that delivers on access, safety and affordability,” said Alex Keating, the vice president of policy and partnerships at Veo. “We’re proud to partner with the city to bring that vision to life with a cutting-edge fleet of bikes and scooters, paired with new safety technology and more affordable pricing for the community.”
What to know if you’re a rider
Scooter riders can to use on their devices. There is also an option to call to unlock a device at (855) VEO-2256.
From there, users can enter their payment information and look for a nearby scooter or other device to use. After taking a short safety quiz before their first ride, users will be able to unlock and begin riding.
In addition to a flat $1 unlock fee, Veo will charge Denver residents 25 cents per minute and all other users 39 cents per minute. That’s down from the current general rate, 44 cents per minute.
During each ride, the scooters will use sidewalk-detection technology to warn riders not to ride on sidewalks. The council approved new rules meant to enforce a ban on sidewalk riding last year.
When they complete a ride, users will have to take a photo showing that they parked in an area that doesn’t block pedestrians. The company will use an artificial intelligence system to provide feedback on the riders’ parking jobs.
The company plans to fine anyone who repeatedly breaks parking rules.
Free rides for riders who qualify
Residents with low incomes and some other riders can get an hour of free riding each day under the program.
The says users who were enrolled in the previous providers’ low-income programs will qualify, along with riders whose incomes are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. It also accepts people who receive food assistance benefits or housing vouchers, are enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid, are part of the military or are veterans, are enrolled in the Regional Transportation District’s or are students receiving financial aid.
“To support a smooth transition, Veo is offering an instant access enrollment period throughout May, allowing eligible riders to begin riding immediately and complete verification later,” Kuhn said.
What Veo will offer
The company plans to have a fleet of five types of scooters, including seated, standing, cargo, two-person and trike options. Most of the scooters released will be from the seated options, which are intended to provide greater stability for all kinds of riders.
Under the licensing agreement, Veo will provide up to 9,000 scooter devices throughout Denver, paying the city $250 per device each year.
Why did committee delay vote?
The council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee pushed back the vote on the micromobility company’s contract in meetings March 18 and April 1, citing an interest in seeing the full contract before members voted.
Some council members said they were concerned about the city having only one provider instead of two. Others wanted assurances that there would still be a low-income rider program like the one Lime has offered.
After DOTI and Veo answered the council members’ questions during an April 15 meeting, the committee approved the item for the full council. None of the council members called out the item for a standalone vote on Monday.
