The Veo scooters are here to stay, according to Oregon State Transportation Services and the Associated Students of Oregon State University.
On Dec. 9, Sarah Bronstein, sustainable transportation manager and ASOSU President Masha Mogylevsky confirmed the continuation of the Veo program.
During the summer of 2024, ASOSU and OSU Transportation Services launched a one-year micromobility pilot program to provide sustainable transportation options around the community through a mixed fleet of shared bicycles and electric scooters. The initial fleet consisted of 350 e-scooters and 50 pedal-powered bicycles, according to OSU Transportation Services’ website.
According to the website, the e-scooter service area was initially restricted to the OSU campus but was later expanded on March 11, 2025, to include business and apartment buildings in the surrounding neighborhoods to increase the system’s utility.
Originally, OSU contracted with Veo to operate the pilot for one year, with the option to extend the contract in two six-month increments.
According to a letter from Bronstein and Mogylevsky, January marks the end of the first six-month extension, and thanks to the promising results of the pilot program, OSU has decided to renew Veo’s contract for another six months.
A one-year evaluation of the project shows the pilot in a positive light and how the OSU community has been receptive to the program.
“There is a robust demand for shared bikes and scooters,” the letter says. “The shared electric scooters in particular have seen high ridership, with each vehicle ridden an average of 1.6 times per day during the first year.”
According to the letter, survey data suggests that some of the rides may be replacing car trips, with over 74% of respondents reporting that they reduced their car travel as a result of the bike and scooter share program.
As the program moves toward long-term implementation, Transportation Services will pursue a formal solicitation for a long-term shared micromobility operator for the Corvallis campus, according to the letter.
The letter also noted that as the project transitions into its long-term operations, ASOSU will take a step back from direct project leadership and move into an advisory role.
Survey respondents reported using the bikes and scooters to get places quickly (76%), be able to travel at a moment’s notice (62%), for fun (52%), avoid costs associated with car ownership (19.6%) and to reduce their environmental impact (15.6%).
The average distance per ride was one mile and the average time per ride was five minutes, according to Transportation Services’ website.
“It has provided a flexible transportation option that has been useful for many students,” Sara Hamilton, Transportation Services outreach coordinator, said in an email. “The shared vehicle system provides access to bikes and scooters without the risk of theft.”
Pedal-powered bikes cost $1 per 30 minutes, and seated scooters cost $1 to unlock and 39 cents per minute, according to Transportation Services’ website.
According to an email from Hamilton, at the beginning of fall term, ASOSU offered a subsidy in the Veo App that provided free rides for students until designated ASOSU funds were exhausted on Nov 3.
While the funds lasted, “2,300 individuals signed up and took 16,400 rides,” Hamilton said in an email.
Income-based discounts are still available for those who qualify for financial assistance, including Pell Grants and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to Hamilton.
These programs provide waived unlock fees for seated scooters, one free ride per day for up to 30 minutes and a discounted rate of 20 cents per minute for additional scooter use, according to OSU Transportation Services.
ASOSU and OSU Transportation Services have also worked to provide free helmets for students in keeping with Oregon law, which requires helmet use for riders of any age on electric scooters.
According to OSU Transportation Service’s website, Veo and Transportation Services gave away 1,000 free helmets this past fall.
Free helmets are still available to the OSU community upon request through Student Health Services, Transportation Services or Public Safety. Helmets are available in a variety of sizes, styles and colors, according to Transportation Services’ website.
Community members interested in providing feedback or asking questions about the continuing project are encouraged to email [email protected].
