The University of Alabama, by way of micromobility company Veo, is providing 300 ebikes to its Tuscaloosa campus students.
Veo earlier this year brought its product to Alabama’s Magic City through the Birmingham Shared Micromobility Program. The Illinois-based company is now taking its services to Tuscaloosa.
Three hundred of the company’s Cosmo ebikes will provide a new accessible and safe mobility option to students, faculty, staff and campus visitors.
Veo CEO Candice Xie expressed her excitement over introducing the company’s product line to the university.
“We’re excited to integrate Veo devices into The University of Alabama’s transit system, filling a gap between mass transit, personal or shared vehicles and foot traffic,” said Xie. “Since Veo’s fleet is solely designed and engineered in-house, we believe our devices’ technology and quality will meet the diverse mobility needs of UA’s students, faculty, staff and guests.”
Jillian Fields, president of UA’s Student Government Association, hailed the university’s partnership with the micromobility company.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve campus transportation so students can more easily get to the places and events that matter to them,” said Fields. “I’m thrilled that we could partner with Veo to bring transportation options that are safe and sustainable, while also being fun to ride.”
According to a release, Veo will be the first micromobility provider to offer a fleet of fully electric and more accessible class two ebikes on campus.
Veo’s Cosmo E boasts a motor and pedals so as to conform to riders of diverse body types and physical abilities, enabling for a comfortable ride for long-distance transportation.
The ebike features a well-balanced frame with a low center of gravity and 18-inch alloy wheels for performance and control. Providing increased safety and visibility for night travel, the bike comes with active break lights and glow-in-the-dark painted decals.
Cosmo E bikes can be found in designated parking corrals on campus. Map locations can be viewed here.
Riders can scan a QR code via the Veo app and pay $1.00 to unlock the device. Riders then pay a $0.39 per-minute rate for the duration of their trip.
Users are directed to return the device to a designated parking corral or bike rack within the bike’s service area upon completion of their ride. Users must take a photo within the app to confirm proper parking and end their ride.
For proper parking behavior, University of Alabama riders will receive a $0.25 “Lucky Zone” reward. GPS and LTE allow Veo to track device locations that are no ride, slow ride, no parking or recommended parking zones.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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