Motorized E-Scooters Hit The Pavement In New Rochelle

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Look out for scooters on city streets because the new, hourly use "micro mobility assets" are here to stay.

City officials and Chicago-based VeoRide announced the soft launch of a new e-scooter and bike share initiative. Starting on Friday, Veo workers started to place 200 Astro e-scooters and 30 bikes at strategic locations around town. The launch will continue through next week, but residents might have already noticed the scooters quietly appearing on street corners and sidewalks in neighborhoods and downtown.

Veo was selected as the City’s new bikeshare operator in late 2019, but the pandemic delayed the venture until now.

The motorized scooters and bikes are available for anyone 16 years old or older who needs a lift.

Riders just download the Veo app on a mobile device and then scan the QR code on the bike or e-scooter to unlock their temporary ride. At the end of the trip, a second scan of the QR code locks the scooter.

Bikes are $1 to unlock and five cents per minute to use. Scooters also cost $1 to unlock and 39 cents per minute. Both the bikes and scooters are geo-fenced to ensure they are only used in the New Rochelle service area. Although it is recommended that riders park the scooters at public bike racks, the equipment may be left on the sidewalk or in public spaces as long as it does not obstruct the pedestrian right-of-way.

“Smart, sustainable, and affordable transportation options are important to New Rochelle’s future,” New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson said in a testimonial. “We hope locals and visitors alike will utilize these micro mobility assets to explore our community, access services, enjoy our growing cultural scene, eat at one of our restaurants, shop at one of our many small businesses, or just have fun.”

Friday's launch in New Rochelle expands Veo’s footprint in the Northeast, where it was recently awarded a contract to participate in a shared e-scooter pilot across the East Bronx. Veo already operates in Atlanta, Chicago, Oakland and a number of large university campuses.

“Veo is honored to be selected as the City of New Rochelle’s newest partner to deploy sustainable and innovative transportation options across the City,” Veo CEO Candice Xie said. “By simply downloading an app and signing up for the Veo service, New Rochelle residents will unlock a new world of transportation options that save time, save our planet and bring joy to riders of all ages and abilities.”

No tax dollars are being spent on the new personal transportation initiative, but city officials say they maintain a strong involvement in the program. New Rochelle has committed to working closely with Veo to ensure a smooth rollout of the system and to ensure they are used and parked in a safe and responsible way with the possibility of expanding the system in the future, according to a statement announcing the launch.