Bike Share and Scooter Share Announcement
A new bike share and micromobility pilot program launched in the City of Toledo today, giving residents and visitors access to new e-scooters and bicycles. Partnering with Veo, the City of Toledo micromobility pilot program will offer residents and visitors convenient, affordable, and sustainable transportation options.
“Progressive and successful cities across the nation have launched scooter share and bike share programs,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said. “We launched our first bike share program in March 2018, and I am thrilled that the City of Toledo has taken another step forward with a new bike and scooter share pilot program, aiming to give Toledoans and visitors another healthy and climate-friendly transportation option. We are building on the success we had with our previous bike share program and have invited VEO to become the city’s new bike and scooter share provider.”
The 10-month pilot program will start with 100 Veo Halo pedal bikes that will replace the previous Gotcha-owned “ToleGo” bikes. They will be docked in the same locations as the ToleGo bikes. There will also be 100 Cosmo seated scooters, and up to 300 Veo Astro scooters brought to the system, representing entirely new, multimodal electric micromobility options for Toledo residents and visitors. The number of scooters will be gradually adjusted by Veo based on ridership and membership.
There is no cost to the city for the new program. The public will be able to operate the scooters from 5 a.m. to midnight each day. Veo’s standing and seated scooters use “field swappable” batteries that allow Veo staff to quickly replace any low batteries with fully charged ones and rebalance devices to parking hubs as needed.
The Fleet:
Veo’s Astro fully electric scooter is easy to balance and includes safety features such as a headlight that always remains on, and active brake lights above the rear tire. The Cosmo seated scooter makes micromobility even more accessible by providing a comfortable ride for those who prefer the added stability of a lower center of gravity, or simply are not able to stand and ride for long periods of time.
For those who prefer a bike, the Halo pedal bicycle features a Shimano internal geared hub, tamper-proof solid tires, and an ultra-comfort saddle to meet the needs of users of varying size.
How to Ride:
Using the Veo app, riders scan a QR code to unlock the device. Standard pricing for the Astro and Cosmo scooters is $1 to unlock and 35 cents per minute. Halo pedal bikes cost $0 to unlock and just $1 an hour to ride.
To end a trip, the Veo app helps users locate an approved parking area and take an “end of ride” photo of the properly parked bike or scooter before ending the ride
GPS and LTE enable the company to track device locations and geofence areas that are no ride, slow ride, no parking, or recommended parking zones.
“As Toledoans seek more eco-conscious modes of transportation, Veo’s unique mixed fleet of micromobility vehicles will provide options that fill the gap between mass transit, vehicle ownership, and walking,” said Candice Xie, Veo chief executive officer. “We are thrilled to be working with Mayor Kapszukiewicz and the City of Toledo to pilot a world class micromobilty system featuring standing, seated, and pedal options to help get more people out of cars and enjoying the city’s neighborhoods sustainably.”
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About Veo
Headquartered in Chicago and founded in 2017, Veo is one of micromobility's fastest growing and most innovative companies. Veo partners with dozens of cities and universities nationwide with exclusive and semi-exclusive contracts in its mobility share programs and is adding additional municipalities and campuses every month. Veo’s hands-on design and manufacturing process enables Veo to integrate safety, comfort, compliance, and reliability directly into the hardware, including its unique e-swappable-battery technology, turn signals, and underdeck light messaging. For more information, please visit www.veoride.com.