Veo devices return to campus with new user and parking requirements

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — With warmer weather on the horizon, shared Veo bicycles and electric devices on Monday (March 11) returned to the West Lafayette campus. 

As a new feature, riders will be unable to end a trip and stop charges until the device is parked in a designated area. The Veo app will notify the rider when trying to end the ride if the device is not in an established parking zone based on GPS data, then the individual will be able to identify the nearest approved parking location through the app. Parking zones are denoted with a white “P” in a blue circle icon in the app to help riders plan their trips and properly park. Upon moving the device to an appropriate location, the ride can be ended. As was previously the case, devices may only be parked in bicycle racks or areas that have Veo parking signage posted. 

“Last fall, Administrative Operations partnered with Purdue’s Action Council on Student Housing and Well-Being to conduct a survey related to transportation and pedestrian safety,” said Jay Wasson, vice president of physical facilities and public safety. “Many people provided feedback about concerns with scooters and similar devices being parked in areas that created hazards for others, and this parking enhancement through Veo is just one way that we are addressing reported issues and making campus safer for pedestrians.” 

With the West Lafayette campus being the size of a small city, there is no shortage of people needing to navigate the area in a variety of ways daily. Since Veo’s arrival on campus in March 2023, there have been more than 350,000 trips totaling nearly 2.6 million minutes by approximately 26,500 unique individuals. Factoring in privately owned bicycles and electric-powered devices, those numbers are even higher.

“We’ve seen high usage with shared devices in a relatively short amount of time, confirming alternative transportation is in demand and meeting a real need here,” said Rob Wynkoop, vice president of auxiliary services. “It is critical that individuals take responsible actions while riding and parking, and this new feature with Veo devices will provide a greater level of parking accountability that was not previously available.”

Users will need to take a short quiz through the Veo app upon initiating a rental for the first time and again following the start of each semester moving forward. The quiz includes a few questions to promote safety awareness and good behaviors among riders.

If users experience discrepancies between the parking locations identified through the app and physical bike racks or designated Veo parking areas, they should park according to the app location to end the ride and notify parking@purdue.edu of the issue so it can be resolved.

Auxiliary Services and Physical Facilities and Public Safety are part of Administrative Operations, which supports the university by providing safe, reliable and transformative services. Listening to campus feedback, creating a safer travel experience and pursuing viable enhancements with partnered service providers are just some of the ways the organization continues to power Purdue. 

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the new Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, and Purdue Computes — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.