Students of Southern Illinois University and residents of Carbondale now have access to new and sustainable transportation options. Veo has deployed a mixed fleet of 350 standing and seated scooters to the community to cater to various use cases and riders.
“We are excited that residents and students will have an additional form of transportation that is not only friendlier to the earth but also affordable,” said Carbondale’s Senior Planner Molly Maxwell.
The Astro stand-up scooter provides easy balance and safety features such as front and rear suspension, front and rear lights, and active brake lights. The Cosmo seated scooter has a lower center of gravity with larger wheels for added stability and control, increasing accessibility for those who do not want to stand for long periods of time, and is a preferred vehicle for riders across the age spectrum. Additionally, the Cosmo also supports longer trips with riders traveling up to one mile longer, according to Veo’s annual rider survey.
“Veo is passionate about increasing access to sustainable, innovative transportation to all,” said Candice Xie, CEO of Veo. “We’ve worked closely with city and university leaders to create a micromobility program that will increase access to public transportation and enable Carbondale residents and students to easily travel between the city and university, helping to reduce congestion.”
The Astro 4 stand-up scooters and the Cosmo sit-down scooters are now available to rent with an unlocking fee of $1 and 31 cents per minute. The Veo Access Plan is available to eligible Carbondale residents and university students with low incomes. Under the plan, $5 per year waives the unlock fee for riders and provides 30 minutes of free riding per day.
How to Ride:
- • The scooters can be located using the free VeoRide app available for download on the App Store or Google Play. Getting started is easy using the Veo app: riders simply scan a QR code to unlock the vehicle.
- • Slow zones and no ride/no parking zones are highlighted in the Veo app. To end a trip, riders take an “end of ride” photo of the properly parked scooter, not blocking the sidewalk, driveways, or private property.
- • To simplify riding with friends and family, Veo offers Group Ride, which allows one Veo account holder to start multiple simultaneous rides without others needing to create and use a Veo account.
In Veo’s annual rider survey, 45% of student riders nationwide reported that since the start of the pandemic, they used shared scooters and bikes more frequently. 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.
For more information about Veo’s SIU and Carbondale’s micromobility program, visit this website.
Photo courtesy of the SIU Student Affairs Media Team