City Of Syracuse: Mayor Walsh Brings Back Bike Share And Adds E-Scooters To Syracuse Sync Fleet

Press release from the City of Syracuse:

2021-09-29

Mayor Walsh announced Wednesday the return of the Syracuse Sync shared micromobility program in the City of Syracuse. Standing at the corner of Westcott Street and Harvard Place, Mayor Walsh said two convenient, affordable, and sustainable transportation options – pedal assist e-bikes and e-scooters – began arriving on city streets on Saturday as part of the phased restart of the program. 

“The interest in alternate transportation options is growing in cities around the world.  It’s exciting to have the Syracuse Sync shared mobility system back up and running in the City of Syracuse,” said Mayor Walsh. “When we searched for a new partner to restart Syracuse Sync, we took a fresh look at the marketplace.  Scooters are in high demand, so adding them to our fleet is great news for Syracuse. It’s a reflection of what shared mobility users are looking for.”

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The City is relaunching the Syracuse Sync program with a new partner, Veo, the first profitable micromobility company that is operating in 40 communities throughout the U.S.  Veo’s mission is to establish micromobility as a true transportation system to reduce automotive use and promote widespread utilization of shared alternative mobility in a safe and reliable way.

The City expects to have an initial fleet of 50 Veo Halo pedal assist e-bikes and up to 250 Astro electric scooters in service this fall.  They will be available at approximately 30 locations around the City, where previous Syracuse Sync bikes were available. Bikes and scooters in the familiar bright green color of the Syracuse Sync system can already be found at “corrals” located in city parks, business districts and neighborhoods.

 “As Syracusans seek more eco-conscious modes of transportation, Veo’s unique mixed fleet of micromobility vehicles will provide options that fill the gap between mass transit, vehicle ownership, and walking,” said Candice Xie, Veo chief executive officer. “We are thrilled to be working with Mayor Walsh and the City of Syracuse to launch a world class micromobility system featuring standing and pedal options to help more people travel through Syracuse neighborhoods sustainably.”

With the Veo app downloadable on most mobile devices, the Syracuse Sync system is easy to use: 

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To end a trip, the Veo app helps users locate an approved parking area and take an “end of ride” photo of the properly parked bike or scooter before ending the ride.

A list of current corral locations is on the Veo smart phone app and will be available on the Syracuse information page on Veo’s website by the end of this week.  The City and Veo expect to adjust locations and quantities of bicycles and e-scooters based on usage. Locations and system design will complement existing transportation options, including many Centro bus routes, bike lanes, and trails. The scooters and e-bikes will be available 24 hours a day, though overnight hours may change depending on ridership trends.

Veo is experienced in successfully restarting operations in cities that have previously had other bike share services.  In August, Veo launched its shared micromobility program in Toledo, a city that had been served by Gotcha, the system that started bike share in Syracuse in 2019.  Gotcha suspended operations in Syracuse and other cities in 2020 due to business impacts of the pandemic. 

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About Veo

Headquartered in Chicago and founded in 2017, Veo is one of micromobility’s fastest growing and most innovative companies. Veo partners with dozens of cities and universities nationwide with exclusive and semi-exclusive contracts in its mobility share programs and is adding additional municipalities and campuses every month. Veo’s hands-on design and manufacturing process enables Veo to integrate safety, comfort, compliance, and reliability directly into the hardware, including its unique e-swappable-battery technology, turn signals, and underdeck light messaging. For more information, please visit www.veoride.com.

This press release was produced by the City of Syracuse. The views expressed here are the author’s own.