SYRACUSE, N.Y. — After one of the most brutal winters in recent history, Veo scooters are making their seasonal return for the fifth consecutive year in Syracuse now that the city’s sidewalks are clear of snow. It couldn’t come at a better time.
With gas prices rising across the country, Veo Operations Manager Paul Colabufo sees electric scooters as an increasingly practical alternative for getting around, as most rides cost less than five dollars for the user.
“If I were a betting man, I would bet that gas prices continue to rise and that people want to drive less, and our scooters become a much more affordable option,” he said.
But unlike the uncertainty of fuel costs, Colabufo doesn’t have to wager on is the changing season.
“Where the city shovels the snow to form the roads, the sidewalks are often the same places where we park the scooters,” Colabufo said. “So they don’t really live together very well, and it just depends on how much snow there is.”
Transcript
Augie Walters: Melting snow is clearing the way for those on the move. After a long, cold winter, Syracuse sidewalks have finally opened up, and welcomed back their Veo scooters.
Paul Colabufo: Where the city shovels the snow to from the roads. And the sidewalk is the same places where we park the scooters. So they don’t really live together very well and it just depends on how much snow there is.
Augie Walters: And with the sun finally shining, Paul Colabufo is back on the job. And the local veo operations manager says the formula for getting things rolling is actually pretty simple.
Paul Colabufo: You need scooters where people want them, when they want them, and they need to be working. We have like 40, I think it’s 44 places around the city where we drop off scooters, where we know you put them here within an hour, somebody is going to take it and ride it.
Augie Walters: And one of those riders is student Noah Smith, who uses the bikes frequently to get to and from class, thanks to their efficiency and low cost.
Noah Smith: It just makes getting from point A to point B a little easier. Quicker. I don’t I don’t really mind paying like, $2 for that. You know, it’s definitely quicker than an Uber or less expensive.
Augie Walters: While Veo may be most commonly used by students getting from their apartment to class, it can also be used by others who are currently dealing with high gas prices and can’t afford a car like this.
Paul Colabufo: But if I was a betting man, I would bet that gas prices continue to rise and that people want to drive less and our scooters become a much more affordable option.
Augie Walters: But even when money isn’t the deciding factor for some, it can come down to what’s essential.
Paul Colabufo: I think there’s a legitimate need for it. About 30% of the people in the city don’t have a car. The busses can’t be everywhere at once, and that is our job to fill those holes, right?
Augie Walters: But at the end of the day, for so many people, Veos just bring good vibes.
Paul Colabufo: You can either walk or ride a scooter, and I just think riding a scooter is more fun.
Noah Smith: It’s almost like a sign of the times in terms of spring, the Veos come out and hopefully the good weather will follow, but it is nice there is no snow on the ground.
Augie Walters: All in all, its safe to say the scooters are back and they are off to the races. Augie Walters, NCC News
With the pavement clear, Colabufo and his team are focused placing scooters where riders need them and keeping them in working order.
“You need scooters where people want them, when they want them, and they need to be working,” he said.
The company has around 44 scooter drop-off locations across the city of Syracuse that must be maintained at all times, as each scooter is ridden on average once an hour.
And a majority of the people who take the scooters are SU students like Noah Smith.
For Smith, Veo scooters have become a convenient and affordable way to get around campus.
“It just makes getting from point A to point B a little easier. I don’t really mind paying like $2 for that,” Smith said. “It’s definitely quicker than an Uber and less expensive.”
But the appeal of Veo scooters isn’t purely practical. Many riders say the experience is fun, giving a lift to an otherwise ordinary commute. “You can either walk or ride a scooter, and I just think riding a scooter is more fun,” Colabufo said.
Smith agreed, saying that the scooters are a seasonal marker of spring. “It’s almost like a sign of the times in terms of spring, the scooters come out, and hopefully the good weather will follow.”