Columbus' new scooter, bike vendor arrives with caveats
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Columbus' new scooter and bike vendor was pitched as an exclusive partner with infrastructure to keep devices from being eyesores and obstructions.
- But that agreement isn't actually exclusive and so far appears to function like previous options.
Why it matters: As Columbus tries to play catch-up with needed transportation options, micromobility devices like scooters and bikes accounted for nearly a million local trips last year.
Catch up quick: In December, City Council authorized an agreement to make VeoRide Inc. the exclusive vendor.
- Justin Goodwin, the city's mobility and parking division administrator, told Axios the deal would improve on the previous permitting system.
- Veo's "hybrid parking system" was also meant to ease scooter clutter that blocked sidewalks and ADA access.
Reality check: Now finalized, the five-year agreement doesn't quite match expectations set last year.
Case in point: The most obvious change is a lack of exclusivity.
- The city settled a lawsuit with Spin that allowed it to continue operating scooters in Columbus through at least 2025.
- Goodwin says Spin's lawsuit was based on its top-two finish in bidding for the exclusive partnership and says the city isn't worried about lawsuits from other vendors like Lime or Bird.
Between the lines: The city initially championed Veo's plan for a "hybrid parking system" combining docks with "mandatory parking zones" and sidewalk markings to address "these recurring issues that we have had around devices blocking the sidewalk."
- Veo originally proposed repurposing existing CoGo stations as parking hubs, and Goodwin says that process is still in the works.
- But Jeff Hoover, Veo's director of government partnerships, tells Axios the company is now taking a "wait and see" approach to most physical infrastructure.
- "The harder infrastructure pieces are maybe a little bit of a longer-term item than we originally conceived, but very much still on the roadmap. A lot of the parking is going to be and was always meant to be free-floating."
By the numbers: Veo launched March 14 with about 500 devices. Spin still has about 850.
- Goodwin says the city tracked approximately 3,200 Veo trips its first week, compared to 6,000 Spin trips.
What's next: Hoover says Veo's presence will grow in steps through the year.
- He expects another 1,000 devices in the coming few months, after which the company will re-assess and determine next moves.
Go deeper: We tried Columbus' new Veo scooter options