Veo is proud to operate in the heart of the good ol’ USA – Washington, D.C.!
After launching the nation’s first bikeshare system 15 years ago, shared mobility has become a fixture in the nation’s capital, with thousands of people using shared scooters and bikes to get where they need to go every day.
We were excited to join the party in February 2023 with a fleet of nearly 1,500 shared scooters and e-bikes. Veo quickly became a favorite way to get around the District, with riders logging over a quarter of a million rides in under six months.
What’s behind the shared mobility program’s popularity? The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has cooked up a recipe for success focused on investing in bike infrastructure improvements across the city, combined with careful oversight of shared mobility companies to ensure the community has a fun and safe experience getting around on two wheels. DDOT is all about playing fair and making it possible for companies like Veo to operate there in the long term.
Let’s take a look at some key aspects of the City’s shared mobility program:
- 1. 📝 Clear Metrics for Vehicle Fleet Expansions
The District sets clear metrics for micromobility providers to meet in order to grow their fleets. DDOT keeps it simple: If we provide at least one ride per vehicle per day over a period of 30 days and demonstrate that our operations are meeting DDOT standards, we can petition DDOT for a fleet increase. And guess what? Veo has embraced this policy, scoring not one, not two, but three fleet expansions since we rolled into town. Better yet, every time we’ve increased our fleet, we’ve seen an increase in rides per vehicle per day. That’s right: The more vehicles we deploy, the more people ride. We can’t wait to keep up the momentum to increase mobility in the District.
- 2. 🌇 Advancing Micromobility for All
DDOT is all about making sure everyone has access to shared scooters and bikes. That’s why the District requires shared mobility companies to provide discounts to riders with low incomes. Better yet, when companies reach DDOT-set targets of miles ridden by riders with low incomes, we get a discount on City fees. Since we launched in D.C., Veo has put Veo Access, our income-based discount program, at the forefront of our community engagement. So far we’ve had nearly 20,000 rides and counting taken by Veo Access riders in the D.C. region. “We All Ride” is one of Veo’s company values and we are excited to keep up the momentum to get more people riding and help meet the District’s equity goals.
- 3. 🚲 🛴🚲 More options = More Riders
Hold onto your helmets, because D.C. isn’t just offering regular scooters and bikes. Nope, they’ve got a mixed fleet of about 20,000 vehicles available to the community, including standing scooters, pedal-only bikes, class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes, and class 2 throttle-assist e-bikes. Why offer a mixed fleet? Veo ridership data indicates that markets with mixed fleets of vehicles have more ridership. In fact, Veo markets with mixed fleets see at least 10% more rides than in markets with a single vehicle type.
Veo is proud to contribute two vehicle types to the District’s mixed fleet: Our Astro stand-up scooter for those who want to ride with the wind in their hair, and Cosmo-e Class 2 e-bikes for those who prefer a comfy seat. The Cosmo-e also offers a throttle-assist feature that zips riders up hills and around town without the need to pedal.
Join Us!
And there you have it – the scoop on D.C.’s micromobility revolution straight from the heart of the action! We’re thrilled to be a part of this incredible shared mobility journey in the nation’s capital, and we hope you’ll join us: Next time you’re in D.C., download the Veo app to experience the thrill of an all-electric ride in the bike lane.