Photo courtesy of Veo.
A Veo scooter. The company is now renting bikes and scooters in Birmingham.
A micro-mobility vendor began service recently in the city of Birmingham, offering rentals of bikes and scooters.
Veo, an Illinois-based company, began operations in the city April 16, according to a city news release.
Users may download the Veo app to identify available bikes and scooters and pay for rentals using a credit or debit card or a prepaid debit card.
The city has established more than 90 corrals throughout the service area in Birmingham, which includes downtown and many neighborhoods.
A second vendor, Gotcha powered by Bolt, will begin operations soon, according to the news release. The city approved applications by Veo and Gotcha in November.
The City Council passed an ordinance in 2020 that allows for the operation of motorized scooters in the city.
- Bikes will be available at any time, but scooters will be not be available from 11 p.m.-6 a.m.
- Bikes and scooters will not be allowed on sidewalks and they should be parked in recommended parking zones established by the city
- Users must be 19 years old to operate scooters and have a government-issued driver’s license. Parents can provide permission for a user who is 18.
- While users are not required to wear helmets, they are strongly encouraged.
Birmingham operated the Zyp Bikeshare system from 2015 until the end of 2019.
Councilor Darrell O’Quinn said that Veo and Gotcha would have a larger reach than Zyp, which was primarily located downtown.
“The service area is going to be extended and people in residential areas will also have access to these programs,” he said in a City Council news release..
For more information go to birminghamal.gov/transportation.