Veo, an e-bike company with shared bikes and scooters zipping around the District, has started a three-month pilot program in Southwest D.C. for its new “Rover” e-trike.
It’s a three-wheeled version of Veo’s seated scooter, and is designed to help people who have mobility issues. It was developed over the past two years based on feedback from riders.
“A sizable percentage of Veo riders in our surveys identify as having a disability, and this is something we’ve heard from those riders time and time again: They want to see vehicles that are easier to ride, that are more accessible,” Alex Posorske, Veo’s policy and partnerships manager, told WTOP.
Posorske said Veo also worked with organizations including Capitol Hill Village, a nonprofit serving older people in that D.C. neighborhood.
The Rover debuted in Denver, Colorado as part of a 50-vehicle pilot program. Officials said some 9,000 riders have taken more than 12,000 trips on the e-trikes.
In D.C., five of the e-trikes are now in operation and can be found at 11 designated parking locations in Southwest D.C.
“It’s going to help create a lot more accessible vehicle choices that can make shared transportation work for even more people,” Posorske said.
Veo’s three-wheeled Rover features a low, cushioned seat and throttle-powered operation, meaning riders don’t have to pedal. The trikes also include front and rear cargo baskets capable of carrying up to 100 pounds of groceries, luggage or mobility aids.
Poserske said the Rover is part of a focused pilot program that will use geofence technology to keep the vehicles in Southwest, for now.
“You’re really looking at sort of the area that’s within an easy ride to the Waterfront Metro Station and the Safeway,” he said.
Veo will use rider feedback to determine whether the program could expand to other parts of the District.
“We think that this is going to be a great addition to our fleet,” Posorske said. “More accessible vehicle choices means more people can take shared transportation. So it’s not just having one type of vehicle, but it’s having a type of vehicle for all ages and all abilities.”
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