E-scooters are returning to the Little Apple
MANHATTAN (KSNT) - The City of Manhattan will be reintroducing e-scooters to the Little Apple after the last scooter service was shut down.
Assistant City Manager Jared Wasinger said the Manhattan City Commission approved an agreement with Veo Ride back in January following a request for proposals by Kansas State University. The city will start with a fleet of 400 e-scooters and hopes to bring e-bikes to the area next year. Wasinger said the e-scooters can be ridden on campus and around city limits.
According to the agreement document, Veo will charge $1 to unlock the scooter and $0.35 per minute of use.
A 'Veo Access' program will offer discounts to those under the 200% poverty level, residents of public housing, Pell grant recipients, those receiving other forms of financial aid, veterans and active military. For $8.99 per month, customers can subscribe to VeoPlus for no unlock fees.
Veo Ride is required to maintain a $5 million commercial general liability insurance plan and a $1 million general automobile liability insurance plan as part of the deal.
Back in 2023, the LINK/Superpedestrian e-scooter service in Manhattan stopped its services after the company announced it would no longer be operating in the U.S. due to financial reasons. The service provided 412,408 trips between Aug. 2020 and Dec. 2023, according to the city.
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