It’s an all-too common dilemma: You’ve got 20 minutes between classes. Do you go straight to your afternoon lecture, or stop to grab a sandwich and risk being late?
For many students, getting to class on time is just one item on a long list of transportation needs. Some students need to get to the cafeteria at 6am to work the morning dining hall shift. Others need a safe trip home after a late-night study session in the library. The list goes on.
Research shows that affordable, accessible transportation is key to student success. With parking scarce and sustainability a priority, universities across the nation are turning to micromobility to help meet student transportation needs.
The result? Students are scooting. In a recent survey, 45% of Veo’s student riders said they have been using shared scooters and bikes more frequently since the start of the pandemic. Ridership data confirms this: Veo rides were at an all-time high during the 2021-2022 school year. Without micromobility, 35% of students said they would have used a car for their most recent trip and 7% said they wouldn’t have taken the trip at all.
Micromobility is not only helping students get around – it’s also helping them save money. Nearly two-thirds of students said access to Veo’s shared scooters and bikes has made their transportation more affordable. The average ride on a college campus is around 1 mile and lasts about 5 minutes, costing $3-$4.
Learn more from these universities that are partnering with Veo to help meet student transportation needs:
- 1. Texas A&M
College Station, Texas
Texas A&M has partnered with Veo for over three years to enhance sustainable transportation access across the university. Texas A&M’s micromobility program is the largest on-campus micromobility program in North America, with 2,500 bikes and scooters available.
✍️Student testimonial: “Even though I don’t ride Veo very often, there’s comfort in it being there if I’m running late or might be too tired to walk.”
🛴Vehicles of choice: Most Aggies get around via seated scooters, while others use pedal bikes.
🌟All-star rider: One Texas A&M rider took 474 trips in the 2021-2022 school year – the most rides of any user across all of Veo’s university campuses.
- 2. University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
The University of Arkansas partnered with Veo in 2020 to increase access to safe, efficient, and fun transportation options for the campus and city. The scooter program has been incredibly popular, particularly for football games, which attract 5,000-8,000 scooter trips per home game. University of Arkansas gameday operations are organized and convenient, serving as a model for how micromobility can efficiently connect fans to the big game without disrupting the surrounding community with additional car traffic.
✍️Student testimonial: “[E-scooters] are the fastest and most economical way for me to get to classes and campus events. They are easily accessible and easy to use, so they provide a reliability that cars just can’t get when you live by an expansive campus.”
🛴Vehicles of choice: U of A students zoom around on standing scooters, and will have the option to use the seated scooters this fall.
🌟All-star rider: One U of A Razorback took 376 rides in the 2021-2022 school year.
- 3. University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
The University of Maryland partnered with Veo in 2019 to help the community get around without a car. The program, which serves the university and surrounding city and town, helps connect the university with the broader College Park community. This school year, thousands of people are using scooters to get where they need to go – whether it’s heading to class or stopping by a Testudo statue for good luck.
✍️Student testimonial: “If I’m running late and there is a scooter available, then I am able to get to class relatively on time, or at least cut my walking time in half. I like being able to decide between when I want to walk or ride the scooter.”
🛴Vehicles of choice: UMD students get around campus via standing scooters, pedal-assist e-bikes, and throttle-assist e-bikes.
🌟All-star rider: One UMD rider took 449 rides in the 2021-2022 school year.
- 4. Rutgers University
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Rutgers and Veo launched their partnership near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program primarily serves the university and allows access to the greater community. In the early days of the pandemic, micromobility helped alleviate crowding on the university’s bus system while social distancing was critical. Today, Veo and the university are working in close collaboration to ensure the micromobility program supplements the bus system, allowing scooters to fill travel gaps and help students better connect to bus stops.
✍️Student testimonial: “Veo makes it easier to get to class on time.”
🛴Vehicles of choice: Rutgers Scarlet Knights get around campus on standing scooters.
🌟All-star rider: One student at Rutgers took 394 rides in the 2021-2022 school year.
- 5. The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Veo deployed e-bikes on the University of Alabama campus in fall 2021 to improve transportation access around campus. Thousands of students biked around the UA campus this year. The university’s micromobility program is one of the first in the area, serving as a model for nearby cities contemplating introducing their own shared scooter and bike programs.
✍️Student testimonial: “Veo has made it easier to get around on campus and has saved me lots of time.”
🛴Vehicle of choice: UA students get around campus via throttle-assist e-bikes.
🌟All-star rider: One UA student took 313 rides in the 2021-2022 school year.
(Photo by Sydney Knotts at Texas A&M Transportation Services).