Veo

Veo is a micromobility bikeshare and scooter rental service provided by VeoRide Inc. of Chicago, Illinois, which operates in Birmingham under a Birmingham micromobility ordinance that was passed by the Birmingham City Council in February 2020.

Veo's permit was granted in November 2020, and the service went into operation in April 2021 with as many as 500 devices deployed within the first 90 days. Veo's fleet of turquoise-branded micromobility devices includes 160 "Halo" pedal bicycles and 340 "Astro" standing (kick) scooters. Bicycles and scooters are not allowed to ride on sidewalks and must follow all traffic laws. Scooters are limited to 15 miles per hour.

Veo's permit included a base fee of $500 plus an annual fee of $20 per device and $100 per corral. The company was also required to furnish a $100 performance bond for each device. The initial service area stretched from Arkadelphia Road in College Hills to 56th Street South in Woodlawn, and from Red Mountain to Finley Boulevard. An anticipated second-phase rollout would extend the western boundary to Five Points West.

Decals on Veo devices can be scanned by a smartphones, prompting new users to download an app for payment. The app shows the locations of available devices and drop-off points. Initial pricing was $1 plus $0.10/minute for bicycles and $3 plus $0.33/minute for scooters. Dropping a device off in a designated corral returns a $2 rebate, while parking outside of such a zone incurs a $2 penalty to offset the cost to Veo to restock it.

The app requires a snapshot of the parked device. Bicycles are available 24 hours a day, while scooters are limited to 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Scooter operators must have a valid driver's license and be 19 years old. Helmets are encouraged, but not required.

References

• Coker, Angel (November 12, 2020) "Birmingham approves two new micromobility providers." Birmingham Business Journal
• Coker, Angel (April 16, 2021) "Veo brings shared bikes and scooters to downtown Bham." Birmingham Business Journal
• Byington, Pat (April 19, 2021) "Shared bikes and scooters are back in Birmingham. Here are the rules." Bham Now
• Chambers, Jesse (April 27, 2021) "Veo now offering rentals of bikes and scooters in Birmingham" Iron City Ink