Syracuse, N.Y. — On a sunny day you’ll see them everywhere -- whizzing down the shoulder alongside cars or cruising in the freshly painted green bike lanes downtown.
You’ll see them standing, unused, on or near sidewalks, in grassy patches or, sometimes, in roads. One found its way into the bottom of Hiawatha Lake.
They’re those electric powered turquoise scooters and bikes, Syracuse’s newest attempt at public, sustainable transportation.
Last month, the Chicago-based company Veo rolled out a fleet of 500 electric vehicles in Syracuse. That’s quadruple the number it had on city streets last year. That includes 50 e-bikes, 225 stand-up scooters and 225 seated scooters with motorized pedals.
On any given day, there are about 350-400 in use. And they’ve proved more popular than anticipated, according to Paul Colabufo, operations manager for Veo in Syracuse.
Colabufo said Veo averaged 1,400 rides per day last week during a stretch of unseasonably warm weather. The company is adding more employees and more equipment to keep up with demand.
>>Related: We sent three reporters out to try those e-scooters. See how it went
The scooters serve as a way for people to reduce the amount they drive, something Colabufo said saves money and benefits the environment. They’re also another option for people who don’t have a car. They can bridge the “last mile” between a bus stop and a final destination.
Plus, Colabufo said, they’re fun.
“When you’re getting over 1,000 people riding a day, I think it makes the streets a little more vibrant,” he said. “When you’re driving in your car, you really are in your own little world... you’re not really interacting with what’s around you. When you bike or scooter or walk, you see things you might miss.”
Getting around
A fully charged scooter or bike can travel about 40 miles in ideal conditions, Colabufo said. Factors like hills or the rider’s weight typically mean it’s less than that, though.
“Syracuse is pretty hilly, if you’re near Syracuse University and going up a steep hill, you’re not getting 40 miles,” Colabufo said.
There are scooter stations located around the city, but they’re not charging docks. They’re just a place to store the vehicles.
Veo employs seven people in Syracuse, who work shifts cruising the city in a van to recover scooters that have gone unused for three days. They swap out the battery on any scooter they find with a charge below 40%.
Colabufo said that van has been running constantly to keep up with usage. He just acquired a second van and plans to hire more people.
The vehicles don’t work on the Syracuse University campus, which is considered a “no-ride zone.” The scooter will power down if you try to take it on campus. Colabufo said that may change in the future.
They’ll also power down if you try to leave the city limits, so don’t plan a trip to the state fair or Heid’s.
How to ride
Want to take a scooter joy ride? First off, you need a phone, and will have to download the “Veo” app. That comes with a series of instructions and some safety warnings. You can add money to the app with a credit card.
Next, you’ve got to find a scooter. The app includes a map of every vehicle and how much battery life it’s got. When you’ve found a scooter, scan the QR code on the handle bars to unlock it.
It’s $1 to unlock the scooter, then the rider is charged per minute to use it. Stand-up scooters cost $0.31 per minute; sit-down scooters cost $0.35 per minute; e-bikes cost $0.20 per minute.
Riders are expected to follow the rules of the road: Stop at red lights and keep off the sidewalks, for example.
When your ride is done, you’re supposed to leave the scooter somewhere where it wont block traffic or pedestrians, Colabufo said. That usually means park it in the right-of-way between the road and the sidewalk. It’ll stay there until the next person takes it.
If you break the rules, you’ll get a warning the first time, then a $25 fine, then a $50 fine. Repeat offenders can be banned from using the vehicles.
Some city residents have complained about people breaking those rules -- leaving scooters on sidewalks, in the middle of the road or blocking driveways. Others have asked why they’re just left lying around (that’s by design).
If you see a scooter left somewhere illegal, Colabufo said to call the company at 855-VEO-2256 to report it. Someone will come collect it.
The Common Council’s public works committee will hold a meeting Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. to discuss the scooter program. That meeting will be live-streamed on the city’s YouTube page.
Still have questions about the scooters? Email us. Or, if you’ve got thoughts you want to share with our readers, send a letter to letters@syracuse.com.
Chris Baker is life and culture editor at syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact him at cbaker@syracuse.com, follow him on Twitter at @chrsbakr, or call 315-345-6260.